Bad breath

Also fedit mouth odor. When poor oral hygiene or tooth decay, which are common causes, have been ruled out, bad breath is attributable to stomach heat steaming upward, phlegm heat congesting the lung, or gastrointestinal food accumulation.

Patterns

Stomach heat (胃热 wèi rè) steaming upward causes bad breath with thirst as well as intake of cold drinks, red lips, mouth sores, erosion of the mouth or red sore swollen gums, reddish urine, constipation, yellow tongue fur, and a forceful rapid pulse.

Medicinal therapy: Clear the stomach and discharge heat with Stomach-Clearing Decoction (清胃汤 qīng wèi tāng) or Gastrodia and Astragalus Decoction (升麻黄芪汤 shēng má huáng qí tāng). If there is bowel repletion with constipation, use Diaphragm-Cooling Powder (凉膈散 liáng gé sǎn).

Acumoxatherapy: Base treatment mainly on ST, LI, and PC. Select ST-44 (Inner Court, 内庭 nèi tíng), ST-36 (Leg Three Lǐ, 足三里 zú sān lǐ), LI-4 (Union Valley, 合谷 hé gǔ), and PC-7 (Great Mound, 大陵 dà líng). Needle with drainage.

Phlegm-heat congesting the lung (痰热壅肺 tán rè yōng fèi) causes fishy-smelling breath with pain or fullness in the chest, cough with ejection of turbid phlegm, coughing up of blood, dry throat, bitter taste in the mouth and dry tongue with no desire to drink, a slimy yellow tongue fur, and a slippery rapid pulse.

Medicinal therapy: Treat by dispersing accumulations and abducting stagnation with Harmony-Preserving Pill (保和丸 bǎo hé wán) or Unripe Bitter Orange Stagnation-Abducting Pill (枳实导滞丸 zhǐ shí dǎo zhì wán).

Acumoxatherapy: Base treatment mainly on LU, ST, LI and PC. Select BL-13 (Lung Transport, 肺俞 fèi shù), LU-5 (Cubit Marsh, 尺泽 chǐ zé), ST-40 (Bountiful Bulge, 丰隆 fēng lóng), LI-4 (Union Valley, 合谷 hé gǔ), LI-11 (Pool at the Bend, 曲池 qū chí), ST-44 (Inner Court, 内庭 nèi tíng), and PC-7 (Great Mound, 大陵 dà líng). Needle with drainage.

Gastrointestinal food accumulation (胃肠食积 wèi cháng shí jī) causes sour bad breath with distension and fullness in the stomach duct and abdomen, frequent belching, no thought of food and drink, constipation or uninhibited stool, foul-smelling flatus, thick slimy or putrid slimy tongue fur, and a slippery rapid pulse.

Medicinal therapy: Use White-Draining Powder (泻白散 xiè bái sǎn) or Thousand Gold Pieces Phragmites Decoction (千金苇茎汤 qiān jīn wěi jīng tāng).

Acumoxatherapy: Base treatment mainly on CV, ST, and PC. Select Lǐ Inner Court (里内庭 lǐ nèi tíng), CV-21 (Jade Swivel, 璇玑 xuán jī), CV-10 (Lower Stomach Duct, 下脘 xià wǎn), ST-25 (Celestial Pivot, 天枢 tiān shū), CV-6 (Sea of Qì, 气海 qì hǎi), ST-36 (Leg Three Lǐ, 足三里 zú sān lǐ), ST-37 (Upper Great Hollow, 上巨虚 shàng jù xū), ST-44 (Inner Court, 内庭 nèi tíng), and PC-7 (Great Mound, 大陵 dà líng). Needle with drainage.