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Do You Have Bad Breath And Not Even Know About It?

By CANDICE GREY ConsumersCompare.org Update: Jul 09, 2024

HEALTH

Sharp and quick thinking, determined and committed are not the only things that describe a successful person. Confidence and charisma are also part of a person’s success. Bad breath can ruin ones confidence and determination to succeed on the daily basis.

Halitosis is the medical term to describe bad breath. Even though it can cause psychological problems, social anxiety and even depression. Bad breath is treatable and should be dealt with as soon as it appears.

What are Possible Reasons That Can Cause Bad Breath

Bad breath may occur suddenly, appear periodically or be a constant companion throughout the day. There are types of halitosis:

True halitosis – either physiological (oral) or pathological (extra oral) The reasons for physiological halitosis is the plaque on the teeth, remnants of food inside the mouth, “smelly” food that was consumed a day before, tobacco and alcohol. Saliva has antiseptic qualities and can clean the surface of the teeth and tongue, constantly working on reducing microbial activity.

Poor dental hygiene will cause accumulation of microorganisms, which will produce unpleasant smell when exhaling air. Production of the saliva is reduced while sleeping; therefore allowing bacteria to multiply at a faster pace and cause bad breathe in the morning. Brushing teeth and using mouthwash will eliminate the bad breath.

Pathological halitosis may occur as a result of diseases of the teeth, gums, tonsils (oral) and be a symptom of diseases of other organs and systems (digestive tract, liver, kidney, respiratory organs, and others.).

One of the main reason (oral) for bad breath are cavities. Reasons for cavities and appearance of halitosis are:

• cavities in the teeth;
• the accumulation of plaque in pathological gums, tartar (gingivitis, periodontitis);
• the formation of the gingival “hood” over cut through wisdom tooth and hit him under the food residues;
• stomatitis;
• diseases of the salivary glands, where the viscosity of saliva and its cleaning ability dramatically reduced;
• diseases of the tongue;
• orthopedic  (crowns, dentures, plates and braces for children);
• increased sensitivity due to bone loss and atrophy of the gums, making it difficult to care for your teeth and contributing to the accumulation of plaque.

Halitosis Can be a Symptom of a Disease

Bad breath can be a symptom of various diseases. In ancient times, doctors could diagnose the onset of diseases by  assessing breathing and breath smell. There are extra-oral causes of halitosis not related to the oral cavities.

These include:

• diseases of the gastrointestinal tract (gastritis, gastric ulcer, pancreatitis
• diseases of the liver (liver failure, hepatitis, cholecystitis). These might cause “fishy”, “fecal” breath, the smell of rotten eggs;
• chronic infections (tonsillitis, rhinitis, adenoids, tonsillitis, sinusitis);
• respiratory tract infections;
• renal failure (the smell of ammonia in exhaled air);
• metabolic diseases (diabetes mellitus).

How to Evaluate Your Breath?

Many people with unpleasant repulsive breath are not even aware of the existing problems unless a loved one or a friend tells them. But does not happen often as  relatives are afraid of offending the beloved, and colleagues prefer to keep the contact with them to a minimum. And so the problem remains.

There are several ways to test yourself:

• ask someone who is close to you if you have a bad breath;
• lick your wrist (spoon, napkin), allow to dry and smell;
• flossing odorless clean spaces between teeth, let it dry, evaluate the odor

How to Cure Bad Breath?

First, make sure to practice good oral hygiene. Make sure to clean your tetth regularly using dental floss, tongue scraper and mouthwash. Many people do not realize that the main accumulation of plaque occurs on the tongue, in the posterior third of the tongue.

The problem of halitosis can be quickly solved in a few different ways: the use of chewing gum, and/or use of antibacterial mouthwash. Masking the smell with the chewing gum provides short-term effect, however frequent use of it can cause a negative effect on the gastrointestinal tract. Use of antimicrobial rinses often exacerbates the problem too. Both remedies can not only  kill harmful microorganisms that produce hydrogen sulfide, but also the natural micro-flora of the mouth.

Rinses And Toothpastes

For people suffering from halitosis, it is recommended to use products that contain preservatives such as Triclosan, chlorhexidine, and baking soda. It has been proven that 0,12-0,2% chlorhexidine reduces the number of anaerobic bacteria in the 81-95% lasting 1.5-3 hours. The use of mouthwash and toothpaste with triclosan (0.03-0.05%) will provide great and longer lasting results. Alcohol-based rinses if used consistently cause dry mucous membranes in the mouth and reduce saliva.

Help From Nature

To combat bad breath our ancestors actively used natural plants: propolis, alfalfa, chamomile, echinacea, myrtle, the infusion of fresh dill. Good, but short-deodorizing effect is freshly brewed strong tea. Essential oil in the tea leaves can eliminate halitosis  for 90-120 minutes (peppermint oil, tea tree, clove, sage, grapefruit seed extract).

• See you doctor to remove stones and plaque from the teeth.
• Treat bad breath causing diseases.

If the bad breath is a symptom of a chronic disease of the internal organs or systems it is necessary to seek medical treatment. If the dentist removes all other factors from the inside of the mouth (plaque, stones, chronic inflammation of the gums), he will need to advice you to seek help from other specialists.

Bad breath is a very common problem but can go unnoticed because we are more focused on the smell of the breath in others than ourselves.

Love yourself and take care of your health!