Bad
breath could be embarrassing and could lower your self-esteem. It
could be a reason why people are avoiding you and do not want to be
closed to you. Individuals who have it are unaware that they have it.
Bad
breath is an oral problem. Bad breath can be temporarily effects of
food and drugs. Examples of these food are onions and garlicky food,
other food that have strong odor, and medicines that produce strong
odor when contacted with the gastric acid. Temporary bad breath is
also an effect when you wake up each morning where your mouth is a
big culture media which microbes grow during sleep. But these can be
disappeared after the food is digested or mouth is cleansed. However,
halitosis, medical term for bad breath, is an oral health problem
that is associated with other health problems, although most of the
time a poor oral hygiene is the main cause. The unpleasant odor
coming from your mouth could be emanated from other health problems
such as gum disease, mouth infection, respiratory disease,
gastrointestinal disease and dental problems. To be able to treat bad
breath the main health problems should be treated first.
Health
Problems that Cause Bad Breath
- Oral diseases – such as dental caries, fungal infection, and poor oral hygiene can cause bad breath. Microbes that live in your mouth produce fowl substances that are mixed with your breath. When fowl odor combines with breath and exhales it that is the time when bad breath can produce. Some people cannot smell their own unpleasant breath, because they are immune to it anymore. Avoiding brushing of teeth can cause too much bad breath.
- Dental Dentures – can cause bad breath because bacteria can grow there.
- Gastrointestinal disease – such as gastric ulcer caused by Helicobacter pylori. This bacterium is likely to produce substance from its final metabolic process that is unpleasant odor and can be released through mouth or breath.
- Respiratory Disease – phlegm has unpleasant odor. Phlegm is usually produced in the respiratory tract to trap microbes that can invade the lungs and the whole respiratory system. Such cough, asthma, bronchitis, emphysema, COPD, pneumonia and tuberculosis produce phlegm. Pneumonia and tuberculosis can be highly contagious. As it was discussed in the the previous numbers, when bacteria react with phlegm production of fowl odor will be produced.
- Smoking – As nicotine and other cigarette substances have strong odor that can retain in your mouth and combine with your breath.
Possible
Treatment
- Dental caries can be assessed by dentist to how severe it is and will decide what treatment option shall be done. A dental filling, cleaning or tooth extraction can be an option. Dentist can replace or clean dentures.
- Dentures can be cleaned through special cleaning or disinfectant solution to kill bacterial.
- Fungal infection in the mouth such as mouth thrush and candida infection can be treated by oral anti-fungal ointments and mouth washes.
- Brush you teeth after each meal. Use a toothpaste that has the highest cavity protection and provides long lasting freshness in you mouth.
- Treat your gastric ulcer. Treating it could not only treat your bad breath but also the uncomfortable feeling that you experience everytime it attacks. Usually an antacid or anti-ulcerant drug with antibacterial drug combination is prescribed to treat bacteria causing gastric acidity.
- For respiratory diseases a mucolytic or expectorant drug can be initially given to patient to loosen and expel excessive phlegm. Antibacterial drugs are prescribed when the disease is serious and life threatening.
- Stop cigarette smoking.
Prevention
- Have a good oral hygiene. Brush your teeth after each meal. When you eat a smelly food do not hesitate to rinse your mouth or brush it.
- Use mouth washes and gargles. They are effectively used to remove microbes that cannot be removed or reached by brushing. Also these help to provide fresh breath for at least short time.
- Have a dental check up once or twice a year. Doing so can help you to have stronger and nice teeth. It can prevent tooth decays to form that eventually cause bad breath.
- Avoid too much sweet food and odorous food.
- Ask your doctor or pharmacist if the medicine you will take will produce odor when you take it.
- Avoid utensil sharing.
- Dentures should be cleaned thoroughly and must be replaced if necessarily.
- Clean you teeth regularly. Use dental floss to remove left overs in your teeth.
- Quit smoking. It is not just good for you mouth but also to your health.
- Eat on time.
- Drink a lot of water. Drinking water can aid the cleansing of the mouth.
