Home

• Banish Bad Breath And Gum Disease!
• Bad Breath Cure Revealed
• The Bad Breath Report: Cure Bad Breath The Quick & Easy Way!

• Avoiding the Embarrassment of Bad Breath
• Dealing with Halitosis
• Stopping Bad Breath
• Bad Breath in Pets
• Halitosis Myths and Reality
• The Importance of Good Oral Hygiene
• Acid Reflux Disease and Bad Breath
• Occassional, Situational, and Chronic Bad Breath
• Bad Breath in Children
• Bad Breath and Radiation Therapy

Dealing with Halitosis

Halitosis or what we commonly call bad breath can be experienced by anyone.  Many people depend on the mints, mouthwashes and other products to tame bad breath.  These products claim to help people to control bad breath but in truth, these products are not as effective as brushing and flossing your teeth and rinsing out your mouth with water.  The problem of bad breath can usually be traced to certain foods, health conditions or bad oral habits.

Foods such as onions and garlic are the most obvious and common causes of bad breath.  Other food products such as vegetables and certain spices can also cause bad breath.  When foods are not digested, pungent oils are absorbed into the bloodstream, carried to the lungs and given off in your breath until the food is released from your body.  Alcohol reacts in the same way.  This is why breathalyzers tests are so effective in determining blood alcohol levels.  In reality, alcohol has no odor but the smell of “alcohol” on your breath is really the components of the drink.

Poor dental hygiene and gum disease are other sources of bad breath.  It is vital to brush and floss daily.  When this does not happen, food particles remain in the mouth and bacteria collects in the mouth.  This bacterium emits hydrogen sulfur vapors.  The bacterium develops into a colorless, sticky film, called plaque.  Plaque can irritate gums and cause gingivitis.  Worse, plaque filled pockets can form in between your teeth and gums and could lead to gum disease.

A condition called dry mouth also causes bad breath.  Dry mouth is the absence of salvia in the mouth.  Saliva cleanses the mouth removes dead cells and helps remove food particle.  Dry mouth lets dead cells accumulate on your tongue, gums and cheeks.  These cells die and cause odor.  Dry mouth normally occurs during sleep and causes what we call “morning breath”.  Be aware that certain medications and smoking can lead to chronic dry mouth and can cause a serious problem with your salivary glands.

Bad breath is also linked to sinus infections.  A sinus infection causes a nasal discharge from the sinuses to flow into the back of your throat and can case mouth odor.  Throat infections such as strep throat, tonsillitis and mononucleosis can cause bad breath that will remain until the infection clears.  Bronchitis, among other upper respiratory infection, and cause a person to cough up odorous substances and this is another source of bad breath.

The most serious causes of bad breath are certain diseases.  Lung infections and abscesses can produce chronic, very foul smelling breath.  Kidney failure caused a urine-like odor and liver failure causes a “fishy” odor.  People suffering from uncontrolled diabetes may get a “fruity” breath odor.

If a person is not suffering from a chronic disease or illness, self-care is the best cure for bad breath.  Be sure to brush your teeth after you eat and floss once a day.  Brushing the tongue and drinking plenty of water can also help prevent bad breath.  It is also important to change toothbrushes every four months and schedule regular checkups with your dentist.

If bad breath continues despite self-care, arrange and appointment with a dentist.  If there is no dental problem, see a medical doctor.  A physical exam may be necessary to pinpoint the underlying cause of the problem.