The food we eat can adversely affect our breath. Odors from garlic, onions, cabbage, and certain spices may result in halitosis when the suspected food is absorbed into the blood tream after digestion. When the blood has transferred to the lungs, the smell from the food is evident when you exhale.
With eating comes digestion, another cause of bad breath. Gasses produced during the digestive process may escape through your mouth, emanating the odor it produces. Poor digestion resulting in constipation and disorders of the bowel may contribute to bad breath again, from the gasses that are produced during this process.
Cause: Infrequent Brushing and Flossing
It may seem like an obvious factor, but when you examine how limited and neglected brushing and flossing habits contributes to bad breath, the cause hits you like a brick wall -- decaying food particles and bacteria trapped in your mouth.
When the food we eat is left behind either because it is trapped in hard to reach places such as the wisdom teeth, the tiny hair-like follicles on the tongue, or simply because brushing and flossing is neglected, it begins to decay in your mouth. The human mouth is 98.6 F, an ideal temperature for food to begin to decompose. When you exhale, the odor from the decomposing food, bacteria, and plaque causes the offensive odor.
Cause: Oral Diseases and Infections
Periodontal disease is directly related to improper or neglected brushing and flossing. One major sign of this potentially irreversible oral disease is halitosis. The accumulation of plaque, bacteria, and decomposing food particles contribute to bad breath as they destroy the delicate tissue that surrounds our teeth.
The same bacteria that cause gum disease, tooth decay, and abscessed teeth are also responsible for halitosis.
Cause: Dry Mouth
Xerostomia is a condition that causes a decrease in the production of saliva, resulting in a dry mouth. Several factors cause xerostomia, some of which may need to be treated by your doctor.
Saliva is necessary to provide lubrication the mouth to allow for proper chewing and swallowing. Saliva naturally cleanses the mouth and helps prevent cavities. If you are experiencing dry mouth, bad breath may occur because the food particles remain trapped in the mouth to rot and cause the unpleasant smell when you exhale.
Cause: Cigarette Smoking
The effects of smoking on our overall health and wellness are frightening. Over 4,000 chemicals have been identified in cigarettes, 200 of which are poisonous. Lung cancer and COPD are obvious diseases that come to mind when you consider the health risk associated with the habit. But did you know smoking is also a major cause of periodontal disease? How does this relate to halitosis you ask? The smoke produced from a cigarette is inhaled into the lungs, and then exhaled through the nose and mouth. This causes an immediate effect on your breath because the chemicals and residue from the smoke remain in your mouth and airways. Continued use of cigarettes contribute to gum disease, a major cause of bad breath.
Cause: Medical Conditions
Unexplained or chronic bad breath may be an indication of an underlying medical condition or disease.
Ketoacidosis occurs in diabetics when there is insufficient glucose in the blood for the body to use as energy. An obvious sign of this is a fruity-smelling odor in the breath. People with eating disorders may experience halitosis, as well as frequent dieters. Breath that has a fishy smell or is reminiscent of urine or ammonia may be obvious in people with chronic kidney failure. After prolonged vomiting or if an obstruction is in the bowel, the breath may smell like feces. Sinusitis and lung infections also cause bad breath. Children with a foreign body trapped in their nose may experience halitosis. If suspected, see your doctor.
Treating and Preventing Bad Breath
In order to treat your bad breath, the root cause of halitosis needs to be identified. Visit your dentist if you experience chronic bad breath (in other words bad breath that never goes away).
Over-the-counter breath fresheners such as gum, mints, breath strips, breath sprays, and certain mouth rinses will only provide a temporary relief from bad breath. These general guidelines will assist you in managing, and hopefully eliminating, your experience with bad breath.
Preventing bad breath is easier that you think. We know some of the causes of bad breath, but have you ever asked yourself "How do I prevent bad breath for good?"
The following guidelines will help you eliminate or significantly reduce your halitosis. If you experience chronic bad breath, see your dentist or doctor as there may be a more serious cause for the embarrassing condition.
• Prevent bad breath by brushing your teeth and flossing twice a day, especially after meals that contain food and spices known to cause bad breath. Remember to brush your tongue, or try using a tongue scraper, to remove any trapped food and plaque caught in the tiny hair-like fibers on the tongue. Finish off your brushing by rinsing thoroughly with water or mouthwash.
• Prevent bad breath by visit your dentist on a regular basis (every six months or as indicated by your dentist) for a complete examination of your teeth and gums and thorough cleaning by the dental hygienist.
• Preventing bad breath is achievable when you have dental problems treated as they occur, such as tooth decay, gum abscesses, and abscessed teeth.
• An easy way to prevent bad breath is to chew parsley after a meal. Parsley contains chlorophyll, a known breath freshener.
• Place a few drops of tee tree oil or peppermint oil on your tongue or use the oil on your toothbrush along with your toothpaste. Alternatively, select a toothpaste or mouth rinse that contains these natural oils known for their antibacterial properties to assist in the fight against halitosis causing bacteria.
• Preventing bad breath from smoking is easy when you take the necessary steps to quit smoking, as this is the only way to eliminate bad breath from the use of cigarettes, which is also responsible for periodontal disease.
• Avoid foods known to cause bad breath such as garlic, onions, cabbage, certain spices, and coffee.
• A dry mouth, also known as xerostomia, is a major factor when it comes to bad breath. Sip water throughout the day and during meals. Chew sugar-free gum or dissolve a sugar-free candy slowly in your mouth to keep help produce more saliva.
• The use of sugarless gum, mints, breath strips, or breath spray may increase the flow of saliva in your mouth necessary to keep it cleansed throughout the day, plus add a crisp, minty aroma in place of your bad breath. Keep in mind that even though these products do freshen your breath, the effects are usually temporary and do not necessarily prevent bad breath. If you are using breath fresheners on a regular basis, consider choosing one that contains xylitol, a sweetener that some studies have shown to reduce cavities. Avoid products that contain sugar to prevent the accumulation of plaque.
• Occasionally use a mixture of 50% hydrogen peroxide and 50% water, as a mouth rinse. Hydrogen peroxide will help kill the bacteria that cause bad breath.
• The use of commercially marketed breath freshening kits and bad breath remedies may help prevent bad breath, although there is generally insufficient research that had narrowed down a cure for bad breath. Ask your dentist or pharmacist before you invest in these products.
Teenagers have enough to worry about without adding bad breath to the list. Unfortunately, bad breath is a very common dental problem that affects millions of people every day. Since teenagers are at a stage in their lives where they rely heavily on how they are perceived by others, bad breath can be an overwhelming obstacle for a teenager.
What Causes Bad Breath?
Bad breath can be caused by many factors including poor oral hygiene, particular foods, underlying dental or medical conditions, dry mouth and certain lifestyle changes and choices.
Poor oral hygiene is the primary cause of bad breath. Bacteria from food particles that remain on or in between the teeth can become rotten and emit a foul smell. Flossing daily and brushing twice a day can prevent this from happening.
Strong and spicy foods can also cause bad breath. This is because the odor from these foods is expelled from our lungs after the foods are absorbed into the bloodstream.
According to dental studies, about 85% of people with persistent bad breath (also known as halitosis) have a dental condition that is to blame. These conditions could be one or more of the following:
• Poor oral hygiene
• Gum disease
• Cavities
• Oral cancer
• Dry mouth (xerostomia)
• Bacteria on the tongue
It is important to rule out any medical or dental problems for chronic bad breath. If bad breath is the cause of a dental condition, mouthwash will only mask the odor and not cure it.
Lifestyle changes and choices are also contributing factors for bad breath, especially with teens. Tobacco use, eating disorders and braces are some examples of these changes and choices.
The Battle Against Bad Breath
Once dental or medical problems have been ruled out, the following steps can help teenagers get rid of bad breath for good:
1. Don’t use tobacco products
2. Eat a healthy and nutritious diet
3. Visit the dentist for regular check ups
4. Floss at least once a day
5. Brush your teeth and tongue twice a day
Teenagers who wear braces should take extra care in practicing good oral hygiene because food particles can become easily trapped in the braces.
Bad Breath and Oral Hygiene
It is essential for teenagers to learn the benefits of good oral hygiene early in life. Good oral hygiene is often the key to preventing and eliminating bad breath, along with many other dental problems.
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