When talking to someone, a close friend might suddenly say: “You have bad breath.” A casual friend might discreetly sit a bit farther away. This is the embarrassment of having bad breath.Severe bad breath is often accompanied by symptoms such as oral ulcers, gum swelling and pain, dry throat, bitter mouth, and even constipation. Why does this happen?
This leads us to discuss the concept of Yure shangzheng (stagnation of heat rising).Stagnation of heat rising reminds one of steaming buns.When steaming buns, they are covered, which is the so-called stagnation, trapping the steam inside. Water boils continuously beneath the buns, which represents heat. Stagnation + heat causes the steam to rise, while the water used for steaming gradually diminishes. The buns expand and cook through the steam.Similarly, the stomach is often likened to a pot. If this pot overheats, not only will the fluids within the stomach evaporate, but the heat will also rise, affecting the lungs and oral cavity. However, the oral cavity is not a bun; it cannot withstand the onslaught of heat.Thus, bad breath, oral ulcers, gum swelling and pain, dry throat, and bitter mouth can all occur due to the rising of stagnated heat. Additionally, the heat in the stomach can lead to burning pain. With insufficient fluids in the stomach, the fluids in the intestines are also affected, leading to dryness and constipation.So how does this stomach heat arise?Pathogenic heat invading the stomach, or excessive consumption of rich and greasy foods, or the fire from the liver and gallbladder spreading to the neighboring stomach can all lead to insufficient digestive power in the stomach, causing food to accumulate and ferment into heat.The Chinese patent medicine Yangyin Kouxiang Heji clears stomach heat, drains fire, nourishes yin, and promotes the movement of qi and the resolution of accumulation. It is particularly effective for bad breath, oral ulcers, gum swelling and pain, dry throat, bitter mouth, burning stomach pain, and intestinal dryness and constipation caused by stomach heat and yin deficiency with rising heat.This formula originates from the Song Dynasty official medical text Taiping Huimin Heji Ju Fang and is known as Ganlu Decoction. The term Ganlu refers to the ancient saying, “Morning branches drip sweet dew, flavors fall into cold springs,” evoking a sense of coolness and fragrance.The Yangyin Kouxiang Heji is based on Ganlu Decoction but removes cooked Rehmannia and adds Gentiana (Longdancao), Bluebunch Wheatgrass (Lanbuzheng), Ophiopogon (Maidong), and Polygonatum (Huangjing), along with modern fresh breath ingredients like benzoic acid (also known as benzoin acid) and citric acid (also known as lemon acid), making it convenient to take as a patent medicine while still providing a refreshing and fragrant mouthfeel.
Ingredients: Dendrobium (Shihu, fresh), Red Sandalwood Root (Zhushagen), Artemisia (Yinchen), Gentiana (Longdancao), Scutellaria (Huangqin), Bluebunch Wheatgrass (Lanbuzheng), Ophiopogon (Maidong), Asparagus (Tiandong), Loquat Leaf (Pipa Ye), Polygonatum (Huangjing), Rehmannia (Shengdi), Bitter Orange Peel (Zhike). Excipients include: Benzoic acid, citric acid, hydroxybenzoate, sucrose, menthol.In this formula, Dendrobium is sweet and cold, nourishing the stomach yin and generating fluids. Polygonatum is sweet and neutral, replenishing kidney essence and benefiting the spleen and lungs to generate fluids.The combination of these two herbs protects the fundamental essence of the stomach while considering that the kidney is the gatekeeper of the stomach; when kidney function is good, stomach qi can transform.Red Sandalwood Root clears heat and detoxifies, disperses stasis, and alleviates pain. It is an excellent remedy for throat diseases such as tonsillitis and acute pharyngitis, addressing throat issues caused by rising stomach heat.Artemisia, Gentiana, and Scutellaria all clear heat and dry dampness, with Artemisia being a great remedy for jaundice and also clearing heat from the large and small intestines.Gentiana clears heat and dries dampness, draining liver and gallbladder fire.Scutellaria is particularly effective in clearing lung heat.These three herbs work together to alleviate stomach heat issues from the intestines and liver and gallbladder, akin to allies on the battlefield.After clearing heat and drying dampness, what about the insufficient fluids in the stomach? The lungs prefer moisture; what if lung fluids are insufficient?Asparagus and Ophiopogon also clear heat, but their potency is milder than the previous three, and they have the added benefit of sweetly nourishing and generating fluids. Thus, these two herbs represent the essence of generating fluids and nourishing yin, benefiting both lung and stomach yin. Especially, Asparagus nourishes the lungs from above and the kidney yin from below, ensuring fluid generation flows throughout.Loquat Leaf is also a good friend of the lungs and stomach, with its bitter and slightly cold nature, capable of clearing impurities from the lungs and regulating erratic qi in the stomach, while also promoting diuresis to expel impurities, effectively cleaning the battlefield.Bluebunch Wheatgrass is a cooling herb from the Rosaceae family, treating throat diseases from above and intestinal diseases from below, while also benefiting qi, strengthening the spleen, and nourishing blood and yin, contributing to the construction of the body.The bitter, pungent, sour, and warm Bitter Orange Peel plays a significant role in the formula, stimulating the spleen and stomach qi, complementing the cold nature of the aforementioned herbs, and sweeping away stagnation in the stomach like a wind, fundamentally eliminating the possibility of generating stomach heat.Rehmannia and Shengdi cool the blood, pacify the liver, and benefit the kidneys, providing essential support for clearing stomach heat throughout the formula.With the combined efforts of these ingredients, the heat in the stomach no longer rises, leading to far-reaching effects:Fresh breath aids in making friends. Regular bowel movements prevent toxins from accumulating in the skin, resulting in a radiant complexion, making one more attractive.No oral ulcers, no gum swelling and pain, no dry throat or bitter mouth, and a refreshing oral cavity and throat, all akin to being drenched in sweet dew, can alleviate various symptoms caused by stomach heat.This formula is indicated for a yellow and greasy tongue coating.There are many breath freshening products on the market; if their effects are unsatisfactory and the cause is indeed stomach heat, it may be worth trying this Chinese patent medicine.
Now, let’s discuss some treatment methods related to the symptoms but not directly related to this formula.For bitter mouth, Xiao Chai Hu Granules can also treat it, and besides benefiting the stomach, they can also soothe the liver, so when the liver and stomach, these two neighbors, have issues, they often require joint treatment.For dry mouth, don’t forget about Wu Mei (Black Plum), which is renowned for its ability to generate fluids and quench thirst, especially popular in summer when it’s hot and depletes fluids, making drinks like sour plum soup especially favored.Reminder: Everyone’s body condition is different; the formulas provided in this article should be adjusted according to individual conditions, and it is advisable to seek guidance from a professional doctor. (Images sourced from the internet; please contact for removal if there are any copyright issues.)
