Friday, December 4, 2009

Nobody wants a Bad Breath


When suddenly nobody wants to talk to you, and you don't know why, maybe its your breath because nobody wants to talk to a person with bad breath. Bad breath also known as halitosis, is a periodic or persistent foul or fetid odor exhaled from the mouth.

There dozens of Bad breath causes but here are 6 main causes of Bad breath:

  1. Poor oral hygiene = this is very common to all of us we all know that if we don't brush our teeth we don't just loose our teeth but bad mouth odor also occurs. Without proper brushing and flossing, food particles and plaque build up on the teeth, gum's, tongue, dentures, and other orthodontic appliances (braces, splint, retainer). Bacteria begin to grow and produced bad mouth odors. Bleeding gum's also causes bad breath.
  2. Diet = Drinking alcohol and eating strong-smelling foods, such as garlic, onions, cabbage, and hot and spicy foods can give you bad breath for a day or so after consumption. So with foods high in milk and butterfat. Hunger ca also contribute to bad breath.
  3. Smoking = Smoking is another leading cause of bad breath. Tar and nicotine residues coat the teeth, tongue, and insides of mouth and lungs, making your breath smelly.
  4. Health conditions = Tonsillitis, pneumonia, mouth sore, sinus infection, and even the common cold can also cause bad breath. So can stomach problems and certain medications.
  5. Dry mouth = Due to decreased flow of saliva. This may result from sleeping with your mouth open (morning mouth), talking for a long periods, breathing through your mouth, and medications of medical conditions. Chewing leads to the flow of saliva, which decreases bad breath.
  6. Age = Even with good oral hygiene, the breath of older people may not be pleasant because of changes in the glands that produce saliva.
Here what we can do to fight bad breath, its is generally manageable with our own will of self care, except where there are underlying health problems. The best way to stop bad breath is to step up your oral hygiene regimen. Like our dentist said brush our teeth after every meal and floss daily. See your dentist for an exam or cleaning at least twice a year. If your gum's bleed when you floss or brush, you may have gum disease or gingivitis. If the condition does not improve after three weeks of careful oral hygiene, now is the time to see a dentist. Brush the top of your tongue with a soft toothbrush or tongue cleaner. The tongue, specially the far in the back where it goes down your throat, can have bacteria that can cause bad breath. Studies proved that people who brush the top and back surface of their tongue not only there teeth, have better breath than people people who brush only their teeth. Always clean your dentures and removable orthodontic appliances every night as directed by your dentist. If you smoke stop now, it takes two weeks after you stop smoking before the smell of tobacco is fully out of your system. Always drink plenty of water to avoid a dry mouth. You can also use some saliva substitutes if you have a dry mouth causes of health conditions and medications, ask your dentist for an example. Watch what you ingest, apples, citrus fruits, lettuce and raw vegetables cleanse the teeth. Parsley is a natural breath freshener. Mouth washes, breath mints, and sprays may mask the odor of bad breath temporarily, but they don't get at the source of the problem. Avoid sugary breath mint, which can worsen the bad breath. Bacteria thrive on sugar and can cause dental cavities. And last but not the least just don't skip meals. Chewing promotes saliva flow and detergent action, both of which decrease mouth odor.

3 comments:

Unknown said...

Lesson learned from the photo:
Don't speak if you have bad breath! heheh!

The Fitness Diva said...

Bad breath is a deal breaker for me! ;)
I have had the experience of backing away from someone's breath just like in that picture!

Anonymous said...

I eat a lot of onions but I don't get that much bad breath - it's all about hygiene, really

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