The research, carried out by Yehuda Finkelstein of the Meir Hospital at the Sapir Medical Center in Kfar Saba, blames the tonsils rather than the gums or teeth, for severe bad-breath.
Bad breath, referred to medically as halitosis, is usually avoided through regular teeth-brushing and flossing. Finkelstein claims, though, that for many people, the tonsils are the culprit. "I estimate that for about 90 percent of halitosis suffers, the origin of their problem is not dental or periodontal diseases but rather in the tonsils," Finkelstein told Israel21c.com. "Surprisingly, historically tonsils have been overlooked as a source of halitosis, but in fact most of the patients suffering from halitosis are suffering from chronic inflammation of the tonsils caused by anaerobic bacteria. The symptom, instead of pain, is bad breath."
Finkelstein and his team at the hospital have successfully developed a solution, though. They have conducted their 15-minute laser treatment on 53 patients already, with the results of their research published in the current issue of New Scientist.
“The laser vaporizes infected tissue and seals the crypts by creating scar tissue that bacteria cannot colonize,” reads the New Scientist report. “More than half of a group of 53 patients were cured in one session, while the others were cured after either two or three treatments.”
"In about half the patients, one treatment is enough. There are those that need more than one. The idea is not to evaporate too much tissue, which could result in pain," said Finkelstein.
The entire procedure can be carried out while the patient is awake in an office setting with the use of local anesthetic spray to the tonsils.
"I've developed a systematic clinical approach by which you can exactly define and locate the origin of the problem of halitosis," Finkelstein summed up. "And we can solve the problem by evaporating part of the tonsil where the bacteria can hide with laser treatment."
Richard Price, a consumer adviser to the American Dental Association, said that the procedure could be useful as a last resort, but that tonsils only cause up to 6% of halitosis cases. “Try conventional treatment first,” he says. “Scraping the tongue and using mouthwash seems to work for most people.”
Bad breath, referred to medically as halitosis, is usually avoided through regular teeth-brushing and flossing. Finkelstein claims, though, that for many people, the tonsils are the culprit. "I estimate that for about 90 percent of halitosis suffers, the origin of their problem is not dental or periodontal diseases but rather in the tonsils," Finkelstein told Israel21c.com. "Surprisingly, historically tonsils have been overlooked as a source of halitosis, but in fact most of the patients suffering from halitosis are suffering from chronic inflammation of the tonsils caused by anaerobic bacteria. The symptom, instead of pain, is bad breath."
Finkelstein and his team at the hospital have successfully developed a solution, though. They have conducted their 15-minute laser treatment on 53 patients already, with the results of their research published in the current issue of New Scientist.
“The laser vaporizes infected tissue and seals the crypts by creating scar tissue that bacteria cannot colonize,” reads the New Scientist report. “More than half of a group of 53 patients were cured in one session, while the others were cured after either two or three treatments.”
"In about half the patients, one treatment is enough. There are those that need more than one. The idea is not to evaporate too much tissue, which could result in pain," said Finkelstein.
The entire procedure can be carried out while the patient is awake in an office setting with the use of local anesthetic spray to the tonsils.
"I've developed a systematic clinical approach by which you can exactly define and locate the origin of the problem of halitosis," Finkelstein summed up. "And we can solve the problem by evaporating part of the tonsil where the bacteria can hide with laser treatment."
Richard Price, a consumer adviser to the American Dental Association, said that the procedure could be useful as a last resort, but that tonsils only cause up to 6% of halitosis cases. “Try conventional treatment first,” he says. “Scraping the tongue and using mouthwash seems to work for most people.”