Bad Breath Halitosis
Bad breath halitosis or oral malodor are terms used to describe a distinctly unpleasant odor that emanates from the mouth when a person exhales. This condition may or may not have a serious medical cause but it invariable had an immense impact on a person’s social and personal life.
The main cause for bad breath is poor or insufficient oral care. The mouth is inactive when a person sleeps and as a result of this, there is no constant flow of saliva to “rinse” out the mouth. This is why “morning breath” has a rather unpleasant or in some cases a downright foul odor. The key factor that leads to bad breath is the bacteria that are found in the oral cavity especially on the tongue. The tongue has a naturally rough surface. This surface often collects food debris and provides the bacteria with a perfect habitat. These bacteria are responsible for the “rotten egg” smell that is caused by volatile sulfur compounds.
Eating habits too affect an individual’s breath. Foods like garlic, onions, fish, cheese and meat can contribute to bad breath. Once these foods are digested their oils and various chemical compounds are absorbed by the blood. Once this blood reaches the lungs, the chemical compounds leach out into the lungs and are then exhaled, leading to bad breath.
There are many simple treatments to curb and even eliminate bad breath. However, it is important that these measures are followed regular and as part of your oral hygiene plan. Since your tongue hosts the most amounts of bacteria it would be wise to pay extra attention to keeping it clean and as bacteria-free as possible. You can use a tongue scraper, or an inverted teaspoon to clean out your tongue. You can also use a toothbrush as it is a very effective way to brush off food particles and resident bacteria! Make sure that you use a soft toothbrush to clean your tongue and do not use excess force as you can damage the delicate skin on your tongue instead. When it comes to oral hygiene it is never how much force you can use but how often you can repeat an action.
If you are partial to foods that cause bad breath you can restrict their intake. You can also make sure that you only include them in your late evening or night meals. Drink plenty of water and fruit juices after you consume these foods as this will help to flush out your system and will eliminate the compounds causing the smell.
In addition to this make sure that you brush your teeth at least twice a day especially after your meals. You can use an anti-bacterial mouthwash to reduce the amount of oral bacteria. If your bad breath persists, visit a doctor as bad breath can also be caused by more serious conditions like liver and renal failure.
