How to Cure and Stop Bad Breath

What is Bad Breath?
Bad breath, which is also called halitosis, is an embarrassing health condition that affects approximately 30% of people around the world. It is associated with a foul oral odor. According to the Academy of General Dentistry, in over 90% of bad breath cases, the odor originates in the mouth, throat, and tonsils.
The bad breath odor is usually caused by a group of anaerobic, sulfur-producing bacteria that breed beneath the surface of the tongue and often in the throat and tonsil area. These bacteria occur naturally in your oral environment and are supposed to be there because they assist your digestion by breaking down proteins into amino acids. Proteins are commonly found in food, mucus or phlegm, blood and in diseased oral tissue.
As the bad breath bacteria feast on proteins in your mouth, sulfur compounds are released from the back of your tongue and throat. The bacteria excrete waste as hydrogen sulfide, methyl mercaptan and other odorous and bad tasting compounds known as volatile sulfur compounds.  As long as this process of anaerobic bacteria feeding on proteins and excreting volatile sulfur compounds continues unchecked, your breath will become worse and worse.

4 Common Bad Breath Causes

There are many causes of bad breath but there are 4 causes of bad breath that are very common.

1. Dry mouth - a dry mouth provides a perfect environment for anaerobic bacteria reproduction. Longperiods of speaking, smoking, drinking alcohol and snoring are a few common reasons why people experience dry mouth. Most people experience bad breath in the morning due to lack of saliva production while they sleep. For healthy individuals, food odors are temporary and normal salivary flow will eliminate it within several minutes. However, those who suffer from dry mouth and lack of saliva find that even minor food odors may end up becoming long term bad breath problems.
2. Foods - Bad breath can be made worse by certain foods such as onions and garlic because they contain smelly sulfur compounds. Dairy, meat and fish contain dense proteins which are used as a food source by the anaerobic, sulfur-producing bacteria that cause bad breath. Refined and processed sugars also provide a food source for bacteria. Coffee and juices can contribute to bad breath because they are acidic and provide the bacteria with an ideal breeding environment.
3. Poor dental hygiene - Inadequate oral care leads to bacterial buildup on the teeth and gums. This leads to gum diseases like gingivitis and periodontitis, which can cause halitosis because the proteins from bleeding gums and diseased oral tissue provide fuel to odor-causing bacteria.
4. Illness and disease - According to studies, in approximately 10% of all cases, bad breath is caused by certain illnesses. Individuals who suffer from diabetes, lung disease, kidney disease, cancer, liver disease, respiratory tract infections or metabolic disorders often experience chronic bad breath due to dry mouth. Sinusitis, pneumonia, bronchitis, post nasal drip and polyps affect the airways and may cause halitosis. Other common illnesses than can cause bad breath include nasal odor, putrefaction from the tonsils, tooth decay, yeast infections of the mouth and gum disease. Certain drugs such as antidepressants, high blood pressure medications and antihistamines can cause bad breath because they reduce saliva production.

أعجبك الخبر ! أنشره لأصدقائك :