Millions of people suffer from bad breath, either chronically or occasionally. The offensive odor from the mouth can be very unpleasant. What causes bad breath?
CAUSES OF BAD BREATH
Poor oral hygiene:
If oral hygiene is not maintained properly, the mouth becomes a receptacle for bacteria that produces offensive gases by degrading food debris. Bad breath is more severe in those who do not brush their teeth regularly.
Bad breath is common in almost all people in the morning on waking. During sleep there is less production of saliva. Saliva has antibacterial properties that help to keep the mouth clean. Therefore, the reduction in its quantity during sleep makes a favorable condition for bacteria.
Food habits:
The main cause of bad smell is due to degradation of protein by the bacteria. All food products rich in protein increase bad breath. Meat, fish, milk products, eggs, sugar-laden foods, and coffee can also cause bad breath.
Some food articles can produce a particular type of smell that is unpleasant such as eating a raw onion or garlic. However, if proper, regular cleaning is done, the smell can be reduced irrespective of the nature of food.
Biofilm:
There is a formation of a thin sticky coating called biofilm on the tongue and oral mucosa. This thick coating on the tongue is always associated with bad breath.
Gingivitis:
The gum is a mucus membrane with supporting connective tissue covering the tooth. The main function of the gum is protection. Gingivitis is the inflammation of the gum.
Due to various causes, gum tissue can get infected resulting in swelling, pain and discharge. This discharge can produce offensive smells.
Gum retraction:
When the gums retract from the teeth, a gap is developed that lodges food particles and causes bad breath.
Dentures:
Denture users may complain about a bad smell due to the lodging of small food debris between the dentures and the mouth. Regular cleaning of the dentures is vital to maintain an odor-free area.
Tobacco:
Tobacco chewing is associated with bad breath. The smell of tobacco itself is unpleasant. Tobacco can irritate the mucus membrane and cause ulcers and coatings. Gingivitis and pyorrhea are common in tobacco chewers.
Smoking:
Smokers always have a bad smell. Smoking can also produce lesions in the mouth and lungs causing bad breath. Smoking increases carbon dioxide in the oral cavity and reduces the oxygen level, causing a favorable condition for bacteria.
CURES FOR BAD BREATH
Oral hygiene:
Mouth should be kept clean every time after eating to reduce the bacterial action. If you cannot brush your teeth every time after eating, gargle with lukewarm water. Brushing and flossing should be done twice daily.
Brushing techniques:
Normal brushing technique should be followed for best results. Do not brush too vigorously. It causes damage to the gums.
Tongue cleaning:
White or yellowish coating on the tongue can cause bad breath. This is more marked in the morning and should be removed twice daily with the help of a tongue cleaner. Tongue cleaner must be used gently.
Tooth pick:
A tooth pick is a small strip of wood or plastic with a pointed end. This is used to remove food particles lodged between the gaps. This is very useful after eating meat and fish. Use gently to avoid damage to gums.
Gargling:
After every meal, gargle with lukewarm water or with mouthwash. Different types of mouth wash are available. Gargling with mouthwash can also reduce bad breath.
Water intake:
Dryness in the mouth can make a favorable condition for bacterial activity resulting in bad odor. Saliva is needed to keep the mouth moist and to reduce bacterial proliferation. Production of saliva is closely related with water balance of the body. Sufficient quantity of water should be taken to maintain the production of saliva.
Mouth fresheners:
Natural and artificial mouth fresheners can reduce the intensity of bad breath to some extent. Chewing spices like clove, cinnamon, and ginger is useful. All citrus fruits can reduce bad odor.
OTHER CURES
Remove the cause:
Bad breath is common in some general and systemic diseases like diabetes, fevers, gastric disorders, and liver diseases. By removing or reducing the primary cause the bad breath will be eliminated.
Modern medicine:
If bad breath is due to an infection, taking antibiotics, anti-fungal or anti- viral medicines will help. If it is due to an autoimmune or chronic inflammatory condition, steroids may be used. Saliva producing tablets can also be used.
Dental cleaning:
Dental cleaning done by a dentist can remove the dental plaques and tartar. This can reduce the severity of bad breath. Visit your dentist at least once a year.
Filling of caries:
Since caries are one of the causes for bad breath they should be filled by a dentist. If the pulp cavity is affected by the caries, a root canal treatment can be done.
Tooth extraction:
If caries are deep, it can cause destruction of the teeth. This causes a bad smell. Extraction is the better choice and a dental implant can be kept in the gap.
Thank You For Visiting Our Blog, FEEL BETTER AND LIVE LONGER!
The purpose of our blog is to share what we have learned about nutrition, weight loss, fitness, and health, in order to help you find ways to feel better and live longer. It is amazing how much our diet and lifestyle affect our health and well-being.
Did you know that you can reduce your risk and even prevent many diseases and health conditions simply by making some changes to your diet? Check back often for valuable tips and information.
HOW TO LOSE WEIGHT & KEEP IT OFF:
For the first time in my life I have found weight loss success. During my adult life I have tried dozens and dozens of so-called "diets" and none of them worked over the long-haul. Oh, I was able to lose weight with some of them, but once I went off of the "diet" I quickly gained back all of my weight (plus some).
I have finally learned that losing weight has to be a lifestyle change, not a temporary fix. Crash diets and all the other crazy diets will not only cause you to fail, they are harmful to your health. To lose weight and keep it off you must NOT go on a "diet." What? Why? Because we all consider a "diet" a temporary thing. For example, how many times have you said, "Oh, I will go on this low-fat diet until I lose 20 pounds." Okay, what happens after you lose the 20 pounds? Or you simply give up? You go back to your old habits and gain that 20 pounds back.
The only way you will ever be successful at losing weight, with the added benefit of improving your health, is to make healthy changes that you can live with for the rest of your life. Period. Not for a week, a month or 3 months, but for life. For me, my initial goal was to lower my cholesterol level. I had to have a blood test for my insurance coverage and my cholesterol level had to be lower than the previous year's levels or I would have to pay a much higher premium. Well, that was a pretty good incentive for me make some positive changes.
I sat down and figured out what I needed to do. I knew I had to change the way I ate and I knew I had to exercise in some form or other every day. So, I made a list and I stuck to it. It was difficult at first. To make matters worse, I am a compulsive eater. However, as the days went by, it became much easier because my body stopped craving sweets and processed foods. For the first time in my life, I was never tempted to binge because I never felt deprived.
Use the list below and make whatever changes you need to make in order for it to work for you. FYI, my cholesterol level dropped 65 points after 7 weeks, and my triglycerides dropped 70 points! Another benefit that I hadn't planned on was that after being an insomniac since my teen-age years, I now sleep like a baby every night!
MY LIST FOR WEIGHT LOSS SUCESS:
1. Avoid "white" Foods & Processed Foods. These foods have no nutritional value and are "empty" calories. Sweets, anything made with white flour,and anything that comes in a package with a long list of ingredients. Always read the food labels. Stay away from those long lists of ingredients. The longer the list, the more chemicals and additives are present. These are extremely toxic to your body.
2. Drink Lots of Water. Water keeps your body's organs hydrated and flushes out unhealthy toxins. It helps to fill you up and reduces your urge to over-eat.
3. Eat a Healthy Breakfast. Instead of coffee and donuts, try fruit, yogurt, grains like oatmeal or whole grain toast, and lean protein. NEVER skip breakfast. By eating a large, healthy meal when you get up in the morning, your metabolism will "rev up" and you will not be hungry by mid-morning. If you skip breakfast, your body will go into starvation mode and store calories in your body as FAT, yes FAT! So do yourself a big favor and eat breakfast.
4. Reduce Your Stress Level. So many of us live with too much stress. Stress lowers your immune system, making it easier to get sick. It also makes us lethargic, tired, and depressed. There are a lot of simple things you can do and a lot of ways to feel better about yourself and your life. Take a long, hot bath, read a book, listen to music, get a massage. Do something nice for yourself. Giving yourself something to look forward to is a tremendous mental incentive.
5. Move! Oh my gosh! There are so many ways to incorporate movement into your day, even at work. Take the stairs instead of the elevator. Get up every hour and walk around your floor, your hallway or your desk. Park your car in the farthest space from where you need to be. Walk or bike to work. Skate, dance, golf, jump rope, clean house, play tag. The best exercise you can do is to walk. Try to take a walk every day! The more you move, the more your metabolism will be your friend. (I walk 3 miles every day whether it is raining, snowing or freezing.)
The purpose of our blog is to share what we have learned about nutrition, weight loss, fitness, and health, in order to help you find ways to feel better and live longer. It is amazing how much our diet and lifestyle affect our health and well-being.
Did you know that you can reduce your risk and even prevent many diseases and health conditions simply by making some changes to your diet? Check back often for valuable tips and information.
HOW TO LOSE WEIGHT & KEEP IT OFF:
For the first time in my life I have found weight loss success. During my adult life I have tried dozens and dozens of so-called "diets" and none of them worked over the long-haul. Oh, I was able to lose weight with some of them, but once I went off of the "diet" I quickly gained back all of my weight (plus some).
I have finally learned that losing weight has to be a lifestyle change, not a temporary fix. Crash diets and all the other crazy diets will not only cause you to fail, they are harmful to your health. To lose weight and keep it off you must NOT go on a "diet." What? Why? Because we all consider a "diet" a temporary thing. For example, how many times have you said, "Oh, I will go on this low-fat diet until I lose 20 pounds." Okay, what happens after you lose the 20 pounds? Or you simply give up? You go back to your old habits and gain that 20 pounds back.
The only way you will ever be successful at losing weight, with the added benefit of improving your health, is to make healthy changes that you can live with for the rest of your life. Period. Not for a week, a month or 3 months, but for life. For me, my initial goal was to lower my cholesterol level. I had to have a blood test for my insurance coverage and my cholesterol level had to be lower than the previous year's levels or I would have to pay a much higher premium. Well, that was a pretty good incentive for me make some positive changes.
I sat down and figured out what I needed to do. I knew I had to change the way I ate and I knew I had to exercise in some form or other every day. So, I made a list and I stuck to it. It was difficult at first. To make matters worse, I am a compulsive eater. However, as the days went by, it became much easier because my body stopped craving sweets and processed foods. For the first time in my life, I was never tempted to binge because I never felt deprived.
Use the list below and make whatever changes you need to make in order for it to work for you. FYI, my cholesterol level dropped 65 points after 7 weeks, and my triglycerides dropped 70 points! Another benefit that I hadn't planned on was that after being an insomniac since my teen-age years, I now sleep like a baby every night!
MY LIST FOR WEIGHT LOSS SUCESS:
1. Avoid "white" Foods & Processed Foods. These foods have no nutritional value and are "empty" calories. Sweets, anything made with white flour,and anything that comes in a package with a long list of ingredients. Always read the food labels. Stay away from those long lists of ingredients. The longer the list, the more chemicals and additives are present. These are extremely toxic to your body.
2. Drink Lots of Water. Water keeps your body's organs hydrated and flushes out unhealthy toxins. It helps to fill you up and reduces your urge to over-eat.
3. Eat a Healthy Breakfast. Instead of coffee and donuts, try fruit, yogurt, grains like oatmeal or whole grain toast, and lean protein. NEVER skip breakfast. By eating a large, healthy meal when you get up in the morning, your metabolism will "rev up" and you will not be hungry by mid-morning. If you skip breakfast, your body will go into starvation mode and store calories in your body as FAT, yes FAT! So do yourself a big favor and eat breakfast.
4. Reduce Your Stress Level. So many of us live with too much stress. Stress lowers your immune system, making it easier to get sick. It also makes us lethargic, tired, and depressed. There are a lot of simple things you can do and a lot of ways to feel better about yourself and your life. Take a long, hot bath, read a book, listen to music, get a massage. Do something nice for yourself. Giving yourself something to look forward to is a tremendous mental incentive.
5. Move! Oh my gosh! There are so many ways to incorporate movement into your day, even at work. Take the stairs instead of the elevator. Get up every hour and walk around your floor, your hallway or your desk. Park your car in the farthest space from where you need to be. Walk or bike to work. Skate, dance, golf, jump rope, clean house, play tag. The best exercise you can do is to walk. Try to take a walk every day! The more you move, the more your metabolism will be your friend. (I walk 3 miles every day whether it is raining, snowing or freezing.)
Bad Breath
4:35 PM
1 comment
‘’Don't know if this helps but I had tonsil stones and awful and bad breath. My friend told me to check Oraltech Labs as it helped him get rid of bad breath and his post nasal drip. I've been following Oraltech Labs advice for about 4 months now and I feel much better, also at work people are not avoiding me anymore so it seems to have cured my bad breath as well’’
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