IMAGINE leading a life in which you have made an effort to be the best version of yourself, to be kind and considerate to the welfare of the community, to dress well, to smell good, and even to have outstanding communication skills, but you still feel as though something is really wrong?
Somehow, people still avoid you and want to flee everytime you open your mouth to start a conversation.
It could be a potential lover, friend or co-worker. Can you guess the possible reason for this?
Well, I can unravel it for you, foul breath also termed malodour or halitosis is the culprit.
While external embellishment is fine, I think it is also important to consider how our breath affects our social interactions.
A distinctly disagreeable smell that is released during breathing is referred to as bad breath (halitosis).
It is a broad phrase for foul breath, whether it comes from an oral or non-oral source.
On the other hand, the phrase “oral malodour” is specifically used to refer to the smell that comes from the mouth. Why does this matter?
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Understanding that not all foul breath originates in the mouth is essential.
Some may originate in the nose and the simplest way to distinguish oral from nonoral bad breath is to compare the smell coming from the mouth with that exiting the nose (usually dentists use this criterion).
Bad breath affects a large proportion of the population which may cause a significant social or psychological handicap to those suffering from it and those around.
This widespread condition has been disregarded for far too long, despite the fact that 80%–90% of foul breath is caused by intraoral factors, which involve the build-up of supposedly healthy oral bacteria that supports the maintenance of good oral hygiene.
These microorganisms begin to thrive in anaerobic conditions in the mouth, especially those that are found around the gums and those associated with the tongue coating, as a result of the decrease in oxygen and saliva.
The intensity of bad breath varies throughout the day and can be caused by a variety of external factors, which account for 10% of the causes.
Stress, fasting, smoking, drinking alcohol and consuming particular foods like cheese, meat, seafood, garlic and onions are some of these causes.
A poor diet, metabolic disorders, substance misuse, specific drugs, disorders of the digestive system, acute infections, chronic nasal disorders and post-nasal drip are other contributory factors.
Your mouth is dry and inactive during the night, so when you wake up, the smell is typically worse because of the anaerobic conditions favourable for the bacteria.
While occasional bad breath is common and accepted as normal, persistent bad breath, which affects at least 25% of people, is a more significant problem.
Systemic causes of chronic or pathological foul breath include gastrointestinal tract disorders, tumours and foreign bodies, respiratory infections such bronchitis, pneumonia and tuberculosis as well as nasal infections like rhinitis and sinus congestion.
Additionally, it can be brought about by gum inflammation, dry mouth (xerostomia), bad dental fillings that hold food and bacteria, an unclean denture and a host of other issues.
Now, the question is: How can you eliminate foul breath?
Get a dental check-up. After examination, dentists will determine whether the malodour is a dental issue or not; if not, the patient is referred to the appropriate specialist.
For example, if the bad breath originates from the nose, the patient will be referred to a general practitioner or an ENT specialist who specialises in the ear, nose and throat.
The odour generating from the mouth often requires dental treatment.
There are no standard protocols for the treatment of oral malodour.
However, the possible protocols contain the basic elements, including standard dental treatment.
Treatment of bad breath due oral causes by the dentist is as follows.
lthe dentist may try to reduce the anaerobic load by improving oral hygiene and periodontal health through basic dental care and if necessary incorporate advanced hygiene methods including oral irrigation and sonic or ultrasonic toothbrushes.
- If oral malodour persists despite adequate conventional oral hygiene, tongue brushing should be advised.
- Chemical reduction of oral microbial load includes rinsing or gargling with an effective mouthwash.
One way to treat oral malodour associated with gum disease is to combine regular periodontal treatment and a chlorhexidine mouth rinse.
However, their long-term effect remains to be determined.
Home remedies for bad breath may include:
- Prepare mouthwash using baking soda (add two teaspoons of baking soda to one cup of warm water, swish the mouth wash for 30 seconds before spitting).
- Prepare mouthwash using vinegar (add two tablespoons of white or apple cider vinegar to one cup of water, gargle for at least 30 seconds before spitting it out).
- Green tea (brew two cups of the tea before going to bed and refrigerate overnight. Pour your cool tea into a water bottle and bring it to work or to school) no one would know. Either consume the tea as beverage or use it as mouthwash to curb bad breath.
- When buying a mouthwash for bad breath pay attention to ingredients like zinc salts which bind to sulphur compounds that cause bad breath (eg Halita) as well as zinc containing chewing gums. It is prudent to always carry such chewing gum in the purse/wallet for these reasons.
- Citrus fruits are generally known to help reduce bad breath and freshen the mouth: oranges, grapefruit, pomelo, lemons. It can be a clever hack to keep some fruits around for “fruity” breath.
- Yoghurt is known to neutralise the anaerobic bacteria, thus at least one serving of plain yoghurt per day can save you the ordeal of malodour.
- Milk is usually effective in getting rid of the garlicky breath. Therefore, drink at least a glass of milk during or after a meal containing strong smelling foods like garlic and onions.
- Above everything drink a lot of water. Water helps a great deal in preventing mouth dryness as it is essential for the production of saliva, without it bacteria thrive, thus, aim to drink at least eight glasses of water per day.
Most importantly, don’t be embarrassed to ask for help when you need it.
If your friends tell you that you have bad breath, remember that it’s something that can be cured and seek help from dental practitioners.
