BAD BREATH
Bad breath is a problem few can admit and even fewer will point out. Bad breath is a common problem faced by a large number of people these days. The problem can turn out to be quite depressing and embarrassing at times to the afflicted person as well as the people around. Treatment of bad breath should be aimed at eliminating the root cause of the problem rather than adopting camouflaging measures such as mouth fresheners, mouthwashes etc.
Causes
Causes may be local or systemic.
The local causes related to halitosis include wearing dentures or partial dentures, faulty dental fillings, drifted, moved or extruded teeth, gingivitis, gum or tooth abscesses.
Systemic medical conditions contribute to a significant percentage of halitosis cases. Diseases afflicting the nose, sinuses, throat, lungs and the gastrointestinal system – the body parts which are anatomically linked to the mouth – are also found to contribute to halitosis.
Sinusitis, pharyngitis, common cold, bronchitis and asthma, tonsillitis, indigestion and acidity, constipation are found to cause bad breath.
Medical conditions such as diabetes, renal failure, liver dysfunction, hormonal imbalance etc. are also found to cause halitosis.
Food and tobacco are contributing factors to halitosis but are not a primary cause.
Even stress, dieting, snoring, age and hormonal changes can have an effect on your breath.
Treatment
Proper tooth brushing twice a day and flossing will help to maintain good oral hygiene thereby aiding in reducing bad breath. Tongue cleaning is also an essential part of oral hygiene measures.
Persons using removable dentures are advised to remove them at night and clean them. They may be worn in the morning after morning brushing.
Before you use mouth rinses, deodorizing sprays or tablets, talk with your dentist because these products only mask the odor temporarily, and some products work better than others.
Very often they are only short-term solutions. Most of the products work for an hour or two and after that the bad breath returns with increased severity. Many of them kill the bacteria to help decrease odor, besides generating a pleasant odor which also helps mask bad-breath.
Visit your dentist regularly because checkups will help detect any problems local or systemic source.
Checkups also help get rid of the plaque and bacteria that build up on your teeth by SCALING (dental cleaning).