Bad Breath — TCM Food Therapy & Dietary Approach
In traditional Chinese medicine, bad breath is understood as arising from irregular eating and excessive spicy and rich foods, causing heat to accumulate in the stomach or damp-heat to bind in the middle burner, with the turbid damp-heat qi rising along the stomach meridian to the mouth.
Traditional Chinese Medicine Patterns
In TCM, this concern is differentiated into several patterns, each with a classical herbal formula:
Exuberant Stomach Heat (Stomach Fire Flaming Upward)
Formula: Qing Wei San (Clear the Stomach Powder) — from *Treatise on the Spleen and Stomach*
Latent fire in the spleen and stomach
Formula: Xie Huang San (Drain the Yellow Powder) — from *Key to Therapeutics of Children's Diseases*
Damp-Heat in the Spleen and Stomach
Formula: Ganlu Xiaodu Dan (Sweet Dew Detoxification Elixir) — from *Warp and Woof of Warm-Heat Diseases*
These formulas are for reference under TCM syndrome differentiation and should only be used under the guidance of a qualified practitioner.
Food Therapy & Diet
Dietary Therapy Recipes
- Mint Congee: 30 g fresh mint leaves, 50 g japonica rice; decoct the mint to make a liquid and mix into the congee.
- Huo Xiang (Patchouli) Congee: 15 g huo xiang, 50 g japonica rice; decoct the huo xiang to make a liquid and mix into the congee.
- Fresh Reed Rhizome Congee: 30 g fresh reed rhizome, 50 g japonica rice; decoct the rhizome to make a liquid and cook into congee.
- Lotus Node and Mung Bean Soup: 10 g lotus node, 20 g mung bean; decoct into a soup and drink as a tea.
- Mint and Tofu Soup: 50 g mint leaves, 2 blocks of tofu, 50 g lean meat; simmer into a soup.
Dietary Principles
- Prefer cooling foods that clear stomach heat (tofu, bitter melon, Chinese cabbage, banana, pear).
- Prefer foods that clear heat, transform dampness, and are aromatic to dispel foul qi (mung bean, coix seed, winter melon, lotus leaf, mint, huo xiang, pei lan).
- Avoid spicy, warm and stimulating foods (chili, longan, fennel, hot pot).
- Avoid tobacco, alcohol, deep-fried, grilled, and greasy foods.
- Avoid raw-cold, greasy and sweet foods.
Understanding the Condition
In traditional Chinese medicine, bad breath is understood as arising from irregular eating and excessive spicy and rich foods, causing heat to accumulate in the stomach or damp-heat to bind in the middle burner, with the turbid damp-heat qi rising along the stomach meridian to the mouth. Flaring stomach fire is the most common presentation.
This content is for informational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition.