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Halitosis is also known as bad breath. It is an extremely embarrassing problem for many people to deal with.
Halitosis is the result of the action taken by bacteria that live in your mouth, tongue, and tonsils.
There are many factors that could be the causes of bad breath, and
many of the factors that could be causes of bad breath can be dealt with
quickly and easily using simple techniques.
In fact the causes of bad breath are so well documented that it is
easy to find the factors which are the cause of bad breath for you.
So what are the causes of bad breath exactly?
Bad breath, which is usually halitosis, is caused by VSCs (Volatile
Sulfur Compounds) in the mouth, these are the most common of the causes
of bad breath. But what are they, anyway?
There is a common misconception that bad breath can come from your
stomach, and although it may feel like that sometimes, the smell comes
from the compounds produced your throat and mouth. Some foods however
after they have been consumed encourage the production of certain
chemicals that are then discharged via the lungs. So that extra helping
of deep-fried onion rings is actually making a smell through your lungs.
So how can we avoid these great causes of bad breath?
Well many of the causes of bad breath are things that we take for
granted and use everyday. Most toothpastes can be a cause of bad breath
because the stuff that makes the foam actually promotes production of
VSCs.
Bacteria build up on the tongue
- The major cause of bad breath is a build up of bacteria on the back
of the tongue and on the under layers. This can be easily treated with a
combination of tools such as oral tongue cleaners and good oral
cleaning regime. Bacteria in your throat and mouth help to break down
certain proteins. When some Amino acids which have a lot of Sulfur
inside, start to get broken down and then produce various foul smelling
compounds from the back of the mouth and throat.
Bad teeth
- Rotting teeth are an obvious cause of halitosis. If this is indeed
the cause then swift dental treatment can erase bad breath overnight.
Removing or treating a rotting tooth can cure the problem instantly as
once the rotting part of the tooth has been identified the source of the
problem will have been removed.
Food - Spicy food is a great
culprit and many people are shocked because they think that bad breath
caused by such food is limited to the day after consuming the foods in
question. The fact is spicy food can cause bad breath for two to three
days after a meal and this is why people think the cause lies elsewhere.
Smoking - This is an obvious
cause of bad breath and there is not a breath treatment on the market
that can combat this area of halitosis. Nicotine literally oozes from
every part of your body, inside and out, so the smart way of combating
this it to kick the habit.
Tonsil stones - Tonsils can
hold a mass of bacteria and also tonsil stones, The combination of both
is enough to set loose a mass of foul smelling odors that no amount of
teeth or tongue cleaning can cure. The good news is these stones can
easily be dissolved and the bacteria obliterated.
Illness - It is very rare for
an internal illness to cause bad breath but this is an area that should
certainly be looked into. If all other methods of breath freshening
have failed a doctor should obviously be consulted in order to find out
the underlying cause.
A dry tongue can also be a cause of bad breath. The bacteria that
produce those nasty SVCs actually don't like oxygen, so a dry mouth is
perfect and hence becomes a cause of bad breath.
The nasty stuff from the bacteria comes from the breakdown of Amino
acids, which are found in protein. So high protein foods can be a cause
of bad breath, even a generally high protein diet could be one of the
causes of bad breath.
Once you have elevated levels of the bacteria in your throat, it
becomes very difficult to fight off the bad breath as those bacteria can
use anything to be the next trigger for your bad breath. By
successfully reducing the amount of bacteria in your throat you can make
sure that it becomes that much more difficult to get the bad breath in
the first place.
Food that Causes Bad Breath
Certain foods are prone to produce
bad breath. Everyone knows that onions and garlic create bad breath, but
not everyone knows why.
Furthermore, there are other foods other than onions and garlic that
contribute to bad breath. Understanding why and how they contribute to
bad breath will put a new perspective on how to get rid of bad breath.
Although foods not the only culprit of bad breath, cutting down on these
foods will decrease bad breath considerably.
Onions and Garlic
Onions and garlic
contain powerful volatile sulfur compounds which produce the same odor
found in rotten eggs. The chemical makeup of onions and garlic are
sulfur compounds themselves. So when you're consuming onions and garlic,
you're eating nothing but sulfur compounds.
Milk and Cheese
Milk and cheese are rich in proteins, thus, a feeding ground to these
anaerobic bacteria in your mouth. The odor of sour milk is caused by
the similar bacteria that create bad breath. When they break down the
lactose protein and release of the amino which in turn end up becoming
volatile sulfur compounds. If you are lactose intolerant and you want to
learn how to get rid of bad breath, do not consume milk as it can make
the problem worse. The anaerobic bacteria will break down these proteins
in your oral environment for all its worth.
Fish
Fish are very high in proteins and any food that is rich in proteins
only feed the bacteria that convert these proteins into sulfur compounds
in your mouth.
Coffee
Coffee contains acids. When drinking coffee you make your mouth an
acidic environment. This will accelerate the reproduction of bacteria.
This is why many people feel a sour metallic taste after drinking a cup
of coffee. Replace tea for coffee is an excellent alternative.
Alcohol
Although alcohol is not exactly a food, you must be aware of its
nature if you want to know how to get rid of bad breath. Alcohol causes
dry mouth and a dry oral environment aids in the increase production of
sulfur compounds because the less oxygen in the mouth, the better for
the anaerobic bacteria (an=not, aerobic=oxygen) in the mouth.
Almost all of us suffer some degree of bad breath.
By cutting down or replacing these foods with their alternatives will
decrease bad breath dramatically. The question is often asked "Is it
possible to get rid of bad breath without having to sacrifice the foods
we eat?" The answer is yes, but with treatment. Moderate consumption of
the "bad" foods combined with proper treatment can result in a fresh
breath.
Bad Breath from the Stomach
We all have these bacteria, which make us possible to have bad
breath. But, did you know that there are stomach bacteria that cause bad
breath? If you think that bad breath is caused only by the bacteria
living in your mouth, think again.
It was once suggested that one of the causes of bad breath is
Helicobacter Pylori, the organism that causes stomach ulcers and ulcers
in the duodenum. There was a laboratory test done that detects the
substance in a breath if there's a presence of this organism, but there
was no firm proof that Helicobacter pylori is responsible for the
unpleasant smell on the breath. Usually, stomach breath doesn't exist.
Unless you belch, but the odor that comes out from belching is
associated with the food you have eaten.
Bad breath from the stomach is actually not a big of a deal. It is
so, because only few bacteria can survive in our stomach due to the very
acidic condition down in there.
The only smell that you can detect from the stomach breath (when you
belch) is the odor of foods like onions, garlic, or any other food with
strong odor, instead of coming from the stomach bacteria that cause bad
breath. However, this unpleasant smell is only temporary and will
disappear in a day or so.
On rare occasion, a condition other than stomach bacteria that cause
bad breath seems to come from lower down in our body. There are some
illnesses like cancers that can cause our breath to have an odd smell.
Liver or kidney disease can cause unpleasant stomach breath. It is true
then that bad breath could be a sign of other serious problem.
If you notice an unpleasant and persistent smell from your breath
that is not associated with the food or medications that you have taken,
you should consult your doctor for a professional opinion. Do not try
to ignore it or treat it by using bad breath products.
For all you know it could be a serious health problem. And, if your
concerns are still about stomach bacteria that cause bad breath, or if
you think that you have other health problems, these should be discussed
with your doctor, as well.
Should your bad breath condition is indeed from your stomach, appropriate treatment must be taken.
How to Relieve the Causes of Bad Breath
The first remedies probably involved chewing aromatic herbs and
brushing the teeth with twigs - remedies that are still in use in some
traditions today. Though not very sophisticated by today's standards,
they do focus on the right objectives: mask the odor and kill off or
remove the offensive bacteria that cause the odor in the first place.
Many herbs not only have a strong odor but have antiseptic qualities as
well.
Chemical antiseptics were a logical step in the development of a halitosis treatment, and they are still widely used today.
Antiseptics and antibiotics in mouthwashes are generally fairly
effective at freshening the breath, at least in the short term. More
recent experiments have explored the idea of physically removing oral
bacteria with oily solutions (bacteria adhere to oil), using oxygen for
bad breath producing bacteria, treating with vitamins and minerals, and
making lifestyle changes. All of these approaches appear more natural
and health-enhancing than using chemicals and antibiotics, and some even
offer hope of a curative halitosis treatment that might banish the
problem permanently.
Oxygen for bad breath is a logical
approach that exploits the knowledge that most offensive breath odor is
produced by anaerobic bacteria.
Anaerobic bacteria are those that live in wet enclosed spaces where
there is very little air or none at all - anaerobic means no air. Some
of these bacteria can tolerate a little bit of oxygen, but none of them
can tolerate very much, so delivering oxygen to the mouth, and getting
it to penetrate all the tiny creases, grooves, pockets, and crevices in
the mouth is lethal to anaerobes. Meanwhile, the oral tissues and the
friendly aerobic bacteria in the mouth are completely unharmed by this
halitosis treatment - aerobes continue to flourish and multiply,
replacing the bad-smelling anaerobes.
If it works as well in practice as it does in theory, oxygen for bad
breath should be very effective. The challenge, of course, is to deliver
oxygen molecules to the mouth and make sure that they come in contact
with the anaerobes. At least one commercial halitosis treatment has
developed a system that aims to do that, and the product is doing well.
Though the claims for the product do not suggest that it can cure bad
breath permanently, it's likely that it could be used in combination
with dietary improvements and lifestyle changes to re-establish a
healthy, odor free mouth.
Some cases of chronic halitosis signal a health or dental problem
that needs medical attention. If oxygen for bad breath or any other
over-the-counter or natural remedy fails to give satisfactory results,
you should consult your dentist or family doctor to determine whether
any medical testing is indicated.
To find the right solution to relieve the symptoms of bad breath, you must determine the cause.
Some causes of bad breath include: improper oral hygiene, medical
prescriptions which cause dry mouth, and food trapped between the teeth.
To relieve the causes of bad breath, you should have a breath health regimen in place.
The first step is to determine whether your oral hygiene practices
are good. There are proper techniques for brushing and flossing. If you
are not sure that the technique you perform is the right one, check with
the oral hygienist in your dentist's office.
Next, you should make sure you schedule visits with your dentist
twice a year. It is important to have your teeth cleaned professionally.
Also, your dentist will be able to tell if you have problems or may
foresee a potential problem. They can give you advice on the
preventative steps you can take.
Brushing and flossing are the basics of a good breath health regimen.
You should go a step further. Anaerobic bacteria are the cause of
most bad breath. These bacteria live on and around your teeth and gum
line. They do not need oxygen to thrive. They love protein from the food
you eat. When you brush and floss you remove the bacteria from your
teeth and the gum line.
The next step is to brush or scape your tongue. And, if you are like
me, scraping the tongue can cause you to gag. There are scrapers on the
market for this purpose. Most are inexpensive so you can experiment
until you find the one that suits you.
Rinsing your mouth should be part of your daily routine.
Most people use a mouth wash purchased at a store. A simple rinse
remedy is to dissolve about a quarter teaspoon or less of salt in
lukewarm water and gargle. You may rinse your mouth only once a day and
that is probably in the morning. It is a good idea to also rinse your
mouth before going to bed. Since the mouth is usually closed while
sleeping and anaerobic bacteria do not need oxygen, rinsing at night
might be more effective.
Dry mouth is another cause of bad breath.
It can be caused by some medications such as Norvasc. Norvasc is
prescribed for high blood pressure. Your doctor may be able to prescribe
another medication. If not, drink plenty of water to keep your mouth
moist. Your saliva will help reduce the bacteria in your mouth.
Using a mouth freshener or breath mint will relieve short-term causes of bad breath.
Short-term bad breath is caused by eating certain foods such as a
hamburger with onions. The mouth freshener will work but you may have to
use it more than once. These odors tend to stay in the body for about
24 hours.
Do not give up the foods you love. But be aware that you may have bad
breath. This can cause embarrassment when you are interacting with
others.
Proper attention to your breath health regimen will help you relieve the causes of bad breath.
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