Articles on Halitosis | Topic: halitosis
by Sheela Tyson
Halitosis Facts – What Is It and What Can You Do About It?
Have you ever wondered about the odor escaping from your mouth? All of us from time to time have experienced Halitosis and the embarrassment that accompanies it. There are many different causes for bad breath among them is poor oral hygiene, smoking, tooth decay and gum problems.
How many Americans do you estimate have halitosis? 25 percent? 50 percent? 75 percent? Close, over 60 percent of Americans have bad breath and more than 35 million have what is known as chronic halitosis. Not all of bad breath comes from a systemic origin some of it is due to oral care. Also, don't be fooled by over-the-counter products, which mask bad breath odors rather than remedy the cause of the odor to begin with.
The bacterium found in the average mouth accumulates mostly on the person's tongue towards the back and is one cause of halitosis. The anaerobic bacteria feed upon food debris and then produce Volatile Sulfur Compounds (VSC). Volatile Sulfur Compounds have the smell of hydrogen sulfide, which smells like rotten eggs! Bad breath odor can also come from certain foods after they are digested and this odor emanates from the lungs.
There is some simple treatments available pertaining to halitosis:
Daily brushing is an absolute. How you brush is very important and many people do not realize there is a proper brushing technique that will remove food particles lodged between the teeth. Daily Brushing will go a long way to improving bad breath. Also, having regular dental cleanings will also improve the decline of bacteria making a home in your mouth. If you have wondered how to remove that white substance on the back of your tongue it can be done with the use of a tongue cleaner. Remember to have a proper diet as well which great consequences beyond helping to rid the rotten smell coming from the mouth.
Saliva has natural antibiotic elements that reduce the number of bacteria in the mouth. When our mouths dry out saliva production diminishes and halitosis increases. Therefore, if you were to chew gum to stimulate saliva production this would aid in decreasing the foul odor escaping your oral cavity. Another way to stimulate saliva production is to drink the recommended eight fluid ounces of water daily. Besides helping cut down on bad breath it is also good for your health.
| Bit of History |
I wish more and more that health were studied half as much as disease is. Why, with all the endowment of research against cancer is no study made of those who are free from cancer? Why not inquire what foods they eat, what habits of body and mind they cultivate? And why never study animals in health and natural surroundings? why always sickened and in an environment of strangeness and artificiality?
| —Sarah N. Cleghorn (1976–1959) |
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If you are in a meeting or another public place that you are not able to brush your teeth after eating or when you feel the compulsion to irradiate bad breath a quick solution would be to simply take a drink of water and swish it around to loosen the particles trapped that the bacteria like to feed upon and then spit it out. Any action is better than no action!
Again the chewing action is pivotal and snacks such as fresh vegetables as opposed to candy, chips, and cookies will help to keep plaque from forming.
Vitamin C is healthy for the body in many respects and you may be surprised to know that being deficient in Vitamin C may be a contributing factor towards bad breath as well as smoking that destroys Vitamin C.
Now I have tried to brush my teeth with baking soda and personally would rather smell a skunk! On the other hand the properties of baking soda are beneficial to destroying odors, hence why we put it in our refrigerators and sprinkle it on our carpets before we vacuum, and there are several brands of toothpaste on the market now that contain baking soda and are not as bad as dipping your toothbrush in the baking soda box.
The purpose of a water pik is to knock the food particles out from between the teeth, which is beneficial in fighting bad breath. You can purchase a water pik that will take batteries so that they are portable.
When purchasing mouthwashes look for those that contain Cetylpyridinium chloride and zinc chloride. A mouthwash that does not contain these ingredients will mask the odor for a limited amount of time but give no long lasting results to eliminating the odor of bad breath. Also Hydrogen Peroxide is a great rinse because it release oxygen and the bacteria in the mouth thrive in an environment without oxygen.
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