Adderall is known for its ability to improve focus and concentration, as well as for its major negative side effects–increased heart rate, dehydration, anxiety. But we hear very little about some of the more minor side effects or, if you will, the “side effects of the side effects.”
One side effect of dehydration, for instance, is bad breath. The more dehydrated you are, the drier your mouth becomes and, without saliva, your breath stinks!
Obviously, bad breath is not such a big deal that it warrants discontinuing your medication. You probably won’t even realize it, but people around you will.
Nothing is more nauseating to me than a person with bad breath. I’d much rather be known as the guy with B.O. than as the guy who always has bad breath.
What I found on adderall is that the normal ways a person fights mouth odor (gum, mints, breath strips, mouthwash, etc.) don’t work with the type of bad breath brought on by dehydration. These strategies which do not eliminate the problem but simply mask it.
The only thing that works to my satisfaction is constantly drinking water or some other liquid. This is the best remedy because it prevents not just bad breath but all the problems related to dehydration as well.
I think all stims do this, not just Adderall. My dad is a dentist and has mentioned that he can tell meth users by their breath.
Drinking lots of water definitely helps. When water gets boring, there’s always low-sugar options. I’m currently on a watered-down tang kick. I don’t think it’s just dehydration that’s behind the breath problem. I think stims affect oral health in some other way (e.g., increase tooth decay, stimulates bacterial growth, etc.).