We usually hear the word "halitosis" in every place. It means a bad breath odor. In this article, we will know the cause, diagnosis, and treatment of halitosis
What is halitosis?
Halitosis (Bad breath) is ubiquitous and fairly common. You have
probably surreptitiously stepped away from acquaintances or coworkers with
unpleasant breath. But it might also be a shock to find that others, for the
same reason, may be edging (discretely) away from you!
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Causes of halitosis
Most halitosis originates in your mouth, and there are several probable
causes. They include:
Food
The breakdown of food particles in and around your teeth can promote
germs and generate a foul odor. Eating certain foods, such as onions, garlic
and spices also might produce halitosis.
After you digest these meals, they enter your circulation, are delivered
to your lungs, and alter your breath.
Tobacco products
Smoking generates its own
terrible mouth odor. Smokers and oral tobacco users are also more likely to
develop gum disease, another source of halitosis.
Poor dental hygiene
If you don't brush and floss every
day, food particles stay in your mouth, creating bad breath. A whitish, sticky
film of germs (plaque) grows on your teeth.
If not brushed away, plaque can irritate your gums and eventually build
plaque-filled pockets between your teeth and gums (periodontitis).
Your tongue also can trap microorganisms that generate smells. Dentures
that aren't cleaned frequently or don't fit properly might contain odor-causing
germs and food particles.
Dry mouth
Saliva helps cleanse your mouth,
eliminating particles that produce foul smells. A condition termed dry mouth or
xerostomia can lead to halitosis because the production of saliva is diminished.
A dry mouth normally happens during sleep, contributing to "morning
breath," and it increases if you sleep with your mouth open. Chronic dry
mouth can be caused by a problem with your salivary glands and some disorders.
Medications
Some drugs might indirectly
induce halitosis by leading to dry mouth. Others can be broken down in the body
to release compounds that can be carried on your breath.
Infections in your mouth
Bad smell can be caused by
surgical wounds following oral surgery, such as tooth removal, or as a result
of tooth decay, gum disease, or mouth sores.
Other mouth, nose, and throat problems
Halitosis can occasionally arise from tiny stones that grow in the tonsils
and are coated with germs that create odor. Infections or persistent
inflammation in the nose, sinuses, or throat, which can lead to postnasal drip,
also can produce foul breath.
Other factors
Diseases, such as certain
malignancies, and illnesses such as metabolic disorders, can induce a
characteristic breath odor as a result of substances they manufacture.
Chronic reflux of stomach acids (GERD) can be related to halitosis.
Bad breath in young infants can be caused by a foreign body, such as a piece of
food, stuck in a nostril.
Halitosis and cavities
Bad breath comes with germs and bacteria that cause infection, to avoid this
problem, you must clean your teeth and tongue after every meal. Not
doing this might cause sensitive spots to form on the tooth surface resulting
in cavities.
Cavities lead to major difficulties, but how do they truly form? The
tooth exterior is coated with strong enamel comprised of mineralized fascicles.
This surface is covered with an
acid substance that infiltrates between the fascicles when eating. Bacteria are
now entrenched in your mouth and regrettably so too is the unpleasant breath.
Fluoride toothpaste, mouthwash, or drinking water that includes flour
are excellent sources for curing dental issues. You should test the water you
regularly consume and find out its wheat concentration.
If the amount of flour detected
is not sufficient, doctors can prescribe a medical therapy, which replicates
the same effects, otherwise, the problem of teeth decay and cavities may become
serious.
Mouthwash, specific
pharmaceutical drops or even pills might terminate the tooth-damaging process.
If you suspect you are developing cavities, consult your dentist as soon
as possible. Superficial cavities will gradually develop, extending into the
base of the tooth and causing the pulp to become infected.
A dental abscess may then emerge causing you to endure considerable pain
and terrible breath owing to the tooth being surrounded by a stinking pus bag.
Pus occurs when the body starts manufacturing antibodies to combat the
illness. Bacteria will spread infection in the tissue around the tooth and
subsequently disseminate an irritating foul odor in your mouth.
Your breath will become terrible because the gums affected can diverge
from the teeth and the area between them can collect particles of the food that
you eat which can later produce germs. A dental abscess can potentially
adversely harm the bone tissue around the teeth.
Some of the signs to look out for are throbbing toothaches, especially
after eating, red or swollen gums, fever, or a terrible taste in your mouth. You
may also notice a tooth color shift to grey or pink.
A bulge on the gum near the tooth might occur and a large amount of
yellow pus or blood may leak from the red, bulging zone.
As the infection progresses the soreness may lessen and this is the
outcome of bone tissue disintegration. When losing this tissue the tooth is
inadequately secured and may be displaced. A medical exam is essential in this
case.
A dentist may check the oral cavity to discover swollen gums or
other infection indications that signal a dental abscess. Dental radiography
may also be essential.
The dentist will make an informed judgment on what medications should be
used to remove the illness. They may also need to create an incision on the
upper or back side of the tooth to drain the infection.
If required, they might also perform an incision on the bulging zone to
drain the infection.
I hope we will all agree after reading the above that frequent dental
exams are vital to safeguard us from the humiliation of halitosis and the
severe agony of an infected tooth.
Halitosis in children
There are particular reasons that there may be problems with foul breath in
youngsters. Various variables may impact the creation of foul
breath, and some of these are more likely to be present in youngsters.
Depending on their age, youngsters can have a propensity of sticking
items up their nostrils, which may become stuck and contribute to halitosis.
It's not rare for youngsters to put little things into their mouths and
noses. If there is a suspicion of this, it is generally advisable to enable a
doctor to explore and remove the foreign item. There may be a sign of this
activity if there is a discharge from the nose.
It's also been claimed that
little ingested items can become trapped in the passageways and generate foul
breath.
The practice of oral hygiene has to be fostered in children while they
are growing up.
It's pretty well recognized that youngsters are not necessarily diligent
in keeping their teeth and mouths clean, and the presence of old food may
provide a fertile breeding ground for the bacteria that cause decomposition and
stinky breath.
Children should always be encouraged and educated to maintain the
greatest levels of oral hygiene since this is a habit that they will take with
them throughout their lives.
When examining a case of persistent bad breath in youngsters, the common
variables that generate the problem in adults should not be neglected.
These might include dry mouth, which promotes an environment suitable for
the bacteria growing.
While it should be assumed that children would not be so prone to halitosis
from chewing tobacco, or from drinking alcohol, they are more prone to
illnesses that affect the saliva glands, and to acquiring respiratory or throat
and mouth infections.
These in themselves may create direct odor, and they will also worsen
the condition by promoting mouth breathing and drying out.
Post-nasal drip is a unique condition encountered in young children
which can produce foul breath.
The bacteria generating the stinky breath prefer to be at home on the
back of the tongue, and this is exactly where the nasal drip concentrates.
The nasal drip itself is a chemical substance that is reported from
studies to function as a fuel to the bacteria. It includes protein made up of
amino acids that are broken down to hydrogen sulfide and other odors.
If it looks that your child has a persistent bad breath problem, it
might be prudent to visit your physician for aid in identifying and addressing
the issue.
Diagnosis of halitosis
Try this easy Halitosis test:
Lick the inside of your wrist and wait 4 seconds. Now sniff your wrist.
If you don't like what scent, your breath does not smell pleasant either. It is
an accurate and portable diagnostic test.
Remedies and treatment of halitosis
• Water - yeah, water! Many people suffer
from chronic dehydration because they don't drink the 8-12 glasses of water a
day that the body needs.
This widespread kind of dehydration creates quite common foul breath. By drinking enough water, you may enhance your breath and offer a tremendous lift to your health.
• Recently eaten food that hasn't been
brushed out will rapidly smell nasty.
• For disrupted digestion you should consult
your doctor. But for moderate conditions such as GERD and acid reflux, take
probiotics in the form of acidophilus or kefir.
For severe stomach troubles try ¼ cup of Aloe vera before breakfast. You
should do these instructions for at least 3 weeks. For my friend, Peter this
entirely cured his stomach ulcer!
Most GERD is associated with the H pylori, which is a bacterium present
in foods that haven't been properly cooked. If you want your meat rare, use Oil
of Oregano daily as a preventative step.
• When your body is exposed to too much
stress, your digestive tract doesn't flow enough oxygen (the energy goes into a fight or flight state).
This makes your digestive tract a
breeding ground for the incorrect bacteria - and for bad breath as well. Be
careful to include deep, relaxing breathing throughout your hectic day.
• You should consume natural breath
fresheners like raw parsley, chew on anise seed or cardamom, nutmeg or fennel -
don't only conceal odors, but genuinely freshen the breath.
• Eat lots of vegetables, fruit, and whole
grains; avoid white flour items like white bread and pasta, as well as sugared
drinks and sodas.
• You may have an undiscovered yeast
infection. Find out for yourself by doing a simple self-test for yeast/candida
overgrowth.
• Chew your meal thoroughly and do not drink
fluids with your food. Eat no food two hours before night and attempt to not
take anything for 12 hours after supper.
• Evacuate your colon as often as you can.
Try to have three bowel motions a day. If you need some aid, try 4 ounces of
prune juice with 4 ounces of magnesium citrate.
For extra aid try 2000 mg. of
vitamin C with electrolytes per hour. Do this for 4 hours or longer, until you
start to have loose stools. (This also works well for headaches and enhances
your immune system.
• Consume at least two cups of kefir daily.
This helps your digestive flora recover its normal balance of bacteria.
• Having avocado would enable most
individuals to relieve persistent halitosis. It is not hard to get rid of
bad breath using avocado and it is easily obtained in the fruit department of
any grocery shop in your local town.
• Cut Protein Intake- Proteins are one of the
difficulties if the persistent foul breath is in question.
Consume less steak and chicken and fresher fruits and vegetables and you
will undoubtedly notice an increase in the number of individuals who are coming
near to you.
This is one of the most recognized bad breath home remedies out there,
and if you eat properly then you will make sure that you lessen your bad breath.
Remember that fresh, clean breath is a sign of good health, and health
is a continuous effort. Stick with it! Follow my advice, and maintain a diary
of everything you do and the impacts you notice.
This easy-tracking approach will
help you discover what is genuinely successful. You will be encouraged by your
own accomplishment!