Bad breath/ what causes bad breath, and how to cure and prevent bad breath?

 Ever talked with a stranger, or worse yet, a good friend and been attacked by the precarious odor emitting from their mouth? It’s hard to tell someone, “Hey, you have bad breath, take care of that!” But what’s worse? Being on the receiving end or not knowing you’re the culprit?

Well Bad Breath is one of the most embarrassing and often unnoticed conditions experienced by millions of individual’s worldwide. The main reason why this condition is so difficult to treat is because in most instances a person is totally unaware that he or she has bad breath. What an embarrassing nightmare. Bad breath doesn’t have to be a condition that prevents you from keeping close friends or starting lifelong relationships. Whether or not you’re in the market for a girlfriend or boy friend there’s no question that a little additional attention to your smile and oral hygiene can pay off big.

 Being a Dentist I get to hear from patients everyday who’s suffering from bad breath, some of them are really embarrassed to discuss this problem, some are not aware that they are suffering from it! So here i am with few easy, basic tips and  myths regarding bad breath and how to resolve it.

 What is bad breath? Bad breath medically called “Halitosis” is characterized as bad or unpleasant odor of mouth, it can occur on occasion or it can be chronic condition, is usually caused by:

• Poor oral hygiene and poor dental health (cavities, gum diseases, oral infection)
• Drinking/cigarette and tobacco smoking.
• Eating strong-smelling foods such as garlic, onions, acidic beverages, spicy foods or fish.
• Eating too much protein, low carb diet, protein diet can also lead to metallic smell in mouth.
• Dry mouth (xerostomia) Saliva helps moisten and cleanse the mouth, and when the body does not produce enough saliva, bad breath may result. Dry mouth may be caused by salivary gland problems, medications, or breathing through the mouth.
• Medical condition: Bad breath can be a symptom of a medical condition, including a respiratory infection, (bronchitis, sinus infection, tonsillitis, pneumonia), candida or fungal infection of digestive system,
• Uncontrolled diabetes, bowel disorder, acid reflux, autoimmune disorders and liver or kidney disease can cause bad breath.
• Acidity , heartburn: stomach acidity is one of major cause for bad mouth odour and it is estimated that almost 50% of population are suffering from acidity at some point.
• menstruation:Women should pay particular attention to oral hygiene just before and during their period as the gums can become red, swollen, inflamed or bleed due to high oestrogen levels leads to bacterial infection.
• Medication: Hundreds of medications cause dry mouth as a side effect as well the worst offenders are medicines used to treat allergies, high blood pressure, depression, and pain.

Myth no 1 #Brushing and flossing will cure bad breath; Brushing daily and flossing will be effective only in cleaning the plaque, bacteria of oral cavity, they do not target the problem of the digestive system and respiratory system, which are both linked to the oral cavity and may be the original culprits of bad breath instead of improper oral hygiene.

Myth no 2 #Mouthwash will make bad breath go away:Mouthwash only gets rid of bad breath temporarily. If you do use mouthwash, look for an antiseptic (kills the germs that cause bad breath) and plaque-reducing mouthwash.

Myth no 3 #Breathing into your hand will tell you!! Nope! When you breathe, you don’t use your throat the same way you do when you talk. When you talk, you tend to bring out the odours from the back of your mouth (where bad breath originates), which simply breathing doesn’t do. Also, because we tend to get used to our own smells, it’s hard for a person to tell if he or she has bad breath.

General care:

• Stay hydrated, drink a lot of water and green tea (There’s growing evidence that the polyphenols in green tea can protect drinkers against cavities and bad breath).
• A suitable diet must be strictly followed avoiding spicy, salty and acidic foods. eat healthy and balanced diet.
• Avoid food with strong odor (garlic, Onions, acidic food and beverages).
• Cut down on sugary food and drink, as it can increase the amount of bacteria in your mouth.
• Avoid smoking and reduce consumption of alcohol, cut down on coffee.

 Oral care and dental care:

• Brush your teeth twice a day at least for 1 to 2 minutes.
• Choose a small or medium-sized toothbrush with soft, multi-tufted synthetic bristles. Replace your tooth_brush every 3 to 4 months.
• Don’t forget to brush your tongue, use separate tongue scraper to clean tongue.
• Floss daily, to clean between your teeth and to remove trapped food.Use mouth wash regularly.
• Visit you dentist twice a year for routine dental checkup and cleaning of teeth.
• Having regular dental check-ups will ensure that any plaque is removed from your teeth, particularly in areas that are difficult to reach.
• If you wear dentures or other mouth appliances, clean them daily.
• Use an alcohol-free mouthwash, sugar-free gums and artificial saliva or a dry-mouth spray or gel, if you have dry mouth. 

Medical care:

 most of the time bad breath is not because of dental or oral hygiene issue, remember if you are suffering from bad breath for long time it’s not normal, its high time you need to visit your family physicians and Do your medical checkup.

• If your bad breath is caused by GIT (gastrointestinal) infection, like acidity, bowel disorder, gastritis, gastric reflux ,fungal infection visit your specialist and get it treated.
• Chronic dry mouth that is unrelated to medication use should also be investigated because it may indicate an autoimmune condition or other disorder.

” Attempt to improve your health by preventive methods. Eat right, exercise regularly and take care of your body, because it’s the only place you have to live.”

🙂 P.S STAY HEALTHY STAY BLESSED 🙂

Farida Israil

Travel & lifestyle blog

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