HALITOSIS – unpleasant odor to the breath
Halitosis is a condition where there is unpleasant odor of the breath. It is also known as oral malodor, breath odor, mouth odor, foul breath or fetor oris. No matter how many names it has, the widely use term is “bad breath”. Halitosis might sound simple, but it can significantly affect one’s life mentally and physically. According to some studies, halitophobia is estimated to be the third most frequent reason for seeking dental aid (following by tooth decay and periodontal disease). Funny isn’t it? No wonder the dentist can make so much of money… It is important to remember that gastrointestinal disorder do not generally cause halitosis. So, it does not in any way reflect the state of digestive system or bowel function.
In general, we can divide causes of halitosis as oral and extra oral in origin. Oral halitosis consists of more than 90% of cases. The primary culprits are poor oral hygiene and periodontal disease. Debris in tonsil pits can be a site of anaerobes collection and often results in offensive smell. Oral malignancy may also produce a foul anaerobic smell. This is why posterior third of the tongue, “retromolar trigone” and sublingual need to be inspected to rule any possibility of malignancy.
Oral halitosis may be due to:
- Gingival (gum) disease
- Dental disease
- Food fermentation in mouth
- Tooth decay
Extra oral halitosis usually comes from:
- The nose
- Blood-borne compounds exhale
- Systemic diseases ( tonsillitis, pneumonia, bronchiectasis, lung abscess)
- Hepatic encephalopathy
- Diabetic acidosis
- Infectious disease
- Neoplastic disease of the respiratory tract
- Hypochondriasis
- Metabolic disorders
- Some types of medications
- Some foods (ingested substance)
- Paranasal sinuses – rarely causing halitosis unless it caused by anaerobic organisms accumulation around a foreign body or rhinolith
- Dental infection involves the maxillary sinus
Treatment:
- Treat any specific cause – mainstay of treatment
- Gargling with an effective mouthwash
- Attentive listening
- Assurance regarding benign nature (if appropriate)
- Maintain proper oral hygiene – don’t forget to clean the tongue surface
- Eating healthy breakfast (avoid the food that have bad smell)
- Chewing gum may help especially because dry mouth itself can cause bad breath by the accumulation bacteria. Chewing gum may help the production of saliva.
- Drink at least 2 liters of fluid per day (unless your doctor says otherwise) to maintain the water level in the body.
Reference:
- Harold Ludman and Patrick J Bradley. ABC of Ear, Nose and Throat. 5th edition. 2007.
- Griffth’s 5-Minute Clinical Consult. Mark R. Dambro. 2005.
Tags: dental, gingival, halitosis, mouthwash
Technorati Tags: dental, gingival, halitosis, mouthwash
HALITOSIS ? unpleasant odor to the breath-Health awareness…
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Re: Bad breath I had it for about 18 years. I was Ms. unpopular. For a long time I was thinking my life was not worth living. I tried every product I could buy and found they were no help at all, even the ones that cost $200 per month. I didn’t think to read about it on the web until one day a person I didn’t even know told me I had really bad breath and said she had it once too and told me to check online for a site called OralTech Labs as it worked to cure her bad breath. I was thinking how nice she was as most people just hold their nose and walk away from me. Anyway I followed badbreathcure.com.au advice and after a week I noticed my tongue started turning red and the bad taste was gone from my mouth. I started noticing people had stopped holding their nose and trying to get away from me. A few months later I bumped into her again. I told her I used her advice and thought it worked, she asked me to breath out in to her face while she smelt it and she is like smiling and said my breaths is fresh now. I hugged her, I didn’t tell her what I was thinking just a few months earlier, but her and that site was a life saver to me. Don’t let bad breath ruin your life like it tried to do to me. Another site I found useful is HomeBadBreathTest it shows you how to test your breath without leaving home. When I asked my Doctor who is an EMT bacterial researcher about the site he said it’s the oral research laboratories and there are 3 websites publishing the monthly reports from Oraltech Labs. I said why didn’t he tell me before? He said I didn’t ask him, which was true. He said all bad breath sufferers should visit OralTech Labs website as his clients (including me) report very good oral health outcomes after following their advice. Anyway I Hope this helps you, Jenny Wilson, SD.
I use hydrogen peroxide with water for my teeth. A mixture of 50% hydrogen peroxide and 50% water can be swooshed around in the mouth and used as a mouthwash. Hydrogen peroxide can kill many of the bacteria that can cause bad breath.
You could have added one more tip- Avoid alcohol and caffeine consumption, which can dry the mouth. Also one who suffers from this must avoid smoking to stop more bacterial growth.
The simplest and most natural cure for halitosis (bad breath) is just good oral hygiene. Keeping your mouth clean and healthy will go a long way toward improving your breath. Elements of a good oral hygiene routine include brushing your teeth after each meal and flossing between your teeth at least once a day. You can gently scrape or brush your tongue as well, being sure to get the area right at the back of the tongue as much as possible. See your dentist once or twice a year for a thorough cleaning and a professional assessment of your oral health. A dentist can alert you to early signs of tooth decay and gum disease, and help you treat these conditions.
I prefer home remedies more than those chemical products. Home remedies for bad breath include such things as mixing baking soda with hydrogen peroxide for a homemade mouthwash, chewing on sprigs of fresh mint or whole cloves, brushing with baking soda, and even chewing sunflower seeds. Each of these is worth trying as a natural cure for halitosis, and if it works, you won’t need to look further.
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