Hello, What do you think bad breath is?
Halitosis is another term for bad breath and it refers to unpleasant odor emanat- ing from the breath regardless whether it originates from oral or non oral sources.
Now how does one get unpleasant odor?
- Periodontal diseases
- Dry mouth (xerostomia)
- Bacteria or fungal coatings on the tongue most common in children
- Dental prosthesis like dentures
- Untreated dental caries
- Gingivitis and calculus
- Systemic disorders like diabetes, ulcers
- Smoking and alcoholism
- Raw and spicy foods
- Poor oral hygiene like not flossing after brushing
- Medication like anti depressants and etc.
It classified into
- Physiological halitosis
- Genuine halitosis like morning bad breath
- Halitophobia like when your traumatized by other peoples bad breath that you start thinking you also have.
Others are classified by origin:
- Buccal cavity
- Respiratory tract Gastro esophageal
- Blood borne
- Subjective
This classification only helps you know where you belong because they are all treated differently.
Now how can one know he/she has bad breath?
The most common and oldest way is to smell with the nose whether by yourself, a or a trusted friend.
Others include; organoleptic tests, Gas chemotherapy etc.
Lastly, let’s talk about preventive and treatment measures.
- Regular dental checkups
- Periodical teeth cleaning by a profes sional dentist
- Bushing teeth twice a day with appropriate brushing techniques for 2-3mins
- Use of a tongue scrapper to rid of dour causing particles
- Flossing after brushing to remove food particles stuck between teeth
- Limit intake of strong dour spices
- Limit sugar and caffeine intake
- Use of mouth washes
- Treat dental diseases like gingivitis and periodontitis if you have
- Treat dental carries and other related
- problems if are present
- Clean dentures and other dental oral appliances well
- Regularly change toothbrush to maintain its effectiveness
Bad breath is very prevalent according to locality and the most common cause is from the mouth. This means proper oral hygiene, scaling and polishing regularly in of paramount importance.
FAQ
What exactly causes the mouth to smell?
- Bacteria that lives in the mouth are the major cause of bad breath
Why do I have bad breath in the morning?
- Morning mal odor is because of constant bac- teria action in the mouth without air ex- change
I brush but when I reach office, it starts smelling?
- You need to visit your dentist to rule out the cause and find a suitable solution for you.
How do I keep a fresh breath?
- Do regular polishing and practice good oral habits like brushing twice a day and flossing using appropriate techniques,
Please contact us.
References