Got Bad Breath??

A refreshing breath can make people come closer while on the other hand a bad breath can make people run miles away. Have you seen people running away from you or stepping backwards the moment you open you mouth, if yes than its time to notice your breath before it can affect your social and professional life.

Bad breath or halitosis, is a problem faced by millions of people worldwide. There are many reasons for the halitosis, one being the breakdown of the food particles in the mouth by the oral bacteria, than another could be the kind of food we eat and lastly it could be due to poor hygiene. It’s a bit surprising to know that almost 170 different types of bacteria lives in our mouth and scientifically bacteria can’t live in presence of oxygen but these do as they hide between the teeth and gum space, under plaque, food debris etc.

How do I know if I have bad breath?

Humm….if you are not sure about it than you can always ask a close friend, partner, relative or your dentist. Tell them to give you an honest answer.

What are the causes?

Bad breath is due to the accumulation of the whitish substance or plaque on the tongue. Though there are various factors which cause bad breath like:

# Smoking – Smokers have that typical bad breath of tobacco in their breath and now it has been found that active smoker can pass on the bad breath to the passive smoker who spends most of the time in their company.

# Tonsils

# Mouth dryness

# Dental decay

# Food stagnation

# Food items such as cabbage, onion, garlic

# Due to dentures (bacteria can get accumulated on the dentures hence giving foul smell)

# ‘Periodontal’ or gum disease – People aged 35 or above are more prone to gum disease and as they get older more problem of gum is faced by them.

Other reasons:

# Diabetes mellitus

# Tuberculosis

# Kidney failure

# Infection of the lung

# Malfunction of the liver

# Having problem of Bronchitis

What are the kinds of food item which causes bad breath?

Smell due to eating food items such as cabbage, garlic, onion, pepperoni are temporary in nature. When we eat food, the digestive system tends to break down the food particles which has the organic group of compounds called sulpur particle present in them thus causing bad smell.

One can avoid this type of embarrassing situation by avoiding these food items or if one has to eat than they can have mint or chewing gum after meal (Don’t punish people for what you ate.)

Do you think mouthwash will help?

When we get up in the morning we have morning breath which can easily go away by brushing teeth and having a glass of water but if that smell sticks to your mouth for the whole day than it can create nuisance. So, always brush your teeth properly.

The best time for using mouthwash is at night when you are about to retire to bed. Try to gaggle with mouthwash, with your tongue out. Bad breath usually comes from the accumulation of the whittish substance at the back of the tongue so through gaggle mouthwash can reach to the back portion of the mouth and kills the odor residing there. Try to extend your tongue while gaggle.

Are brushing and flossing effective?

Brushing and flossing are quite effective in removing the smell causing bacteria from mouth. Minute food particles are often left over in our mouth after eating meals, by these methods they could be removed thus giving away hiding place for the bacteria. Maintain a normal oral hygiene.

Treatment

Visit your dentist regularly as it will not only help in keeping check over all oral heath but can also help in detecting any foul smell that goes unchecked by you.

Bad breath may not be due to food stagnation or other problem but could be due to other physical illness so dentist may refer you a doctor if he doesn’t find any oral problem.

Maintain good oral hygiene; brush and floss your mouth regularly so that it should not become breeding ground for bacteria. Do clean your tongue too.

Avoid having spicy, odor emitting food items. Any cavities or periodontal disease may be treated.

Sometimes, people get too much obsessed with the bad breath and thus have to seek help from the counselor.

Things you can do yourself

# Brush at least twice a day.

# Use mouthwash at night recommended by your dentist.

# If suffering from any illness do take treatment.

# Brush your teeth after having milk, meat, egg, tea or coffee etc.

# Eat fruit and vegetables which have lot of starch content.

# Drink lots of water.

# Get your teeth scaled after every five to six months.

# Do eat chewing gum as it will not only exercise your mouth but also keep away the bad smell.

# Stop smoking or chewing tobacco.

# Change your toothbrush after a month.

# Be regular for your dental check up.