This is one very common cause of dentist visits. Having bad breath or halitosis is usually so common that you may know someone with the problem.
Halitosis, oral malodor, breath odor, foul breath, fetor oris, or most commonly bad breath are used to describe noticeably unpleasant odors exhaled in breathing. Sometimes the smells do come from a mouth source, others they come from other sources such as nares and stomach. Halitosis has a significant impact — personally and socially — on those who suffer from it and is estimated to be the 3rd most frequent reason for seeking dental aid.
Where does bad breath come from?
In 85-90% of the cases, halitosis originates in the mouth itself. The intensity of bad breath differs during the day and depends on the level of oral dryness, (which may be due to stress or fasting), eating certain foods (such as garlic, onions, meat, fish and cheese), smoking and alcohol consumption. The mouth is dry and inactive during the night, that's why the bad odor is usually worse upon awakening . Bad breath may not be present at all times, often disappearing following eating, brushing one's teeth, flossing, and rinsing with mouthwash.
Chronic bad breath affects 25% of the population and is a more serious condition. It can negatively affect the individual's personal, social and business relationships, leading to poor self-esteem and increased stress. This condition is usually caused by the activity of certain types of oral bacteria.
Pure halitosis can come several places:
A. Mouth
Most of the unpleasant odors come from proteins trapped in the mouth which are made by oral bacteria. There are over 600 types of bacteria found in the average mouth. Several dozens of these can produce high levels of foul odors.
In 85-90% of the cases, halitosis originates in the mouth itself. The intensity of bad breath differs during the day and depends on the level of oral dryness, (which may be due to stress or fasting), eating certain foods (such as garlic, onions, meat, fish and cheese), smoking and alcohol consumption. The mouth is dry and inactive during the night, that's why the bad odor is usually worse upon awakening . Bad breath may not be present at all times, often disappearing following eating, brushing one's teeth, flossing, and rinsing with mouthwash.
Chronic bad breath affects 25% of the population and is a more serious condition. It can negatively affect the individual's personal, social and business relationships, leading to poor self-esteem and increased stress. This condition is usually caused by the activity of certain types of oral bacteria.
Pure halitosis can come several places:
A. MouthMost of the unpleasant odors come from proteins trapped in the mouth which are made by oral bacteria. There are over 600 types of bacteria found in the average mouth. Several dozens of these can produce high levels of foul odors.
The most common location is the tongue for mouth-related halitosis. Large quantities of naturally-occurring bacteria are often found on the posterior aspect of the tongue, where they are relatively undisturbed by normal activity. This part of the tongue is relatively dry and poorly cleansed. Here the bacteria grow and multiply.
The odors are produced mainly due to anaerobic ( they do not need oxygen to live ) bacteria breakdown of proteins into individual amino acids, followed by the further breakdown of certain amino acids to produce detectable foul gases. Volatile sulfur compounds have been shown to be associated with oral malodor levels, and usually decrease following successful treatment.
Other locations in the mouth that cause halitosis are, in descending prevalence order: inter-dental and sub-gingival niches, faulty dental work, food-impaction areas in-between the teeth, abscesses ,unclean dentures and gum disease.
B.Nose
The next major source of bad breath is the nose. The odor exiting the nostrils has a pungent odor which differs from the oral odor. Nasal odor may be due to sinus infections or foreign bodies.
C. Tonsils
Contributes to some 3-5% of cases.
D. Stomach
The stomach as a very uncommon source of bad breath (except in belching). When true halitosis from the stomach appears it is usually due to a secondary health problem such as reflux disease.
Sometimes halitosis happen due to systemic disease. Your doctor will need to rule out the following diseases: Chronic liver failure, bronchial and lung infections, renal infections and renal failure, carcinomas, trimethylaminuria, ketoacidosis from diabetes mellitus and metabolic dysfunctions.
Diagnosis
The most important measurement of bad breath is the actual sniffing and scoring of the level and type of the odor carried out by experts.
Smelling one's own breath odor is often difficult due to habituation, although many people with bad breath are able to detect it in others. For these reasons, the simplest way to know whether one has bad breath is to ask a trusted adult family member or very close friend .
One method to determine the presence of bad breath is to lightly scrape the posterior back of the tongue with a plastic disposable spoon and to smell the drying residue. Since breath odor changes in intensity throughout the day depending on many factors, multiple testing may be necessary.
If bad breath is persistent, and all other medical and dental factors have been ruled out, specialised testing and treatment is required. Hundreds of dental offices and commercial breath clinics now claim to diagnose and treat bad breath through machine testing.
How do I treat halitosis?
These are a series of tips to help:
A. Brush teeth and rinse mouth thoroughly after every meal to remove food particle from the mouth. Use dental floss. When you are brushing your teeth, also brush your tongue, specially the back part if it. Gently cleaning the tongue surface twice daily with a tongue brush, tongue scraper or tongue cleaner to wipe off the bacterial biofilm, debris and mucus. An inverted teaspoon is also effective
B. Periodic dentist check ups are important to rule out gum disease and to correct any dental problems.
C. If your mouth is dry, drink plenty of water. Try swooshing it around in your mouth for at least twenty seconds to loosen any food particles the bacteria can feed upon. BIOTENE ( www.laclede.com )has got several products to help on mouth moisturizing.
D. Avoid breath mints and mouthwashes that contain alcohol. Instead of helping, they tend to dry the mouth, creating a more favorable environment for bacteria.
E. Snacking on vegetables such as raw celery or carrots can keep plaque from forming.
F. Onions and garlic should be avoided if you want to attend a meeting. Avoid alcohol and caffeine consumption, which can dry the mouth.
G. Quit smoking. Tar and nicotine can build up, also they can dry mouth and inhibit saliva flow.
H. Chlorophyll is a natural breath freshener and is found in leafy green vegetables like parsley.
I. A few drops of peppermint or tea tree oil can be applied to the tongue or toothbrush to help freshen the breath. In addition to its refreshing nature, their antibacterial properties will kill the bacteria found in the mouth.
J. Baking soda has a long history of being used to maintain good oral health and for fighting bad breath. You can mix baking soda, salt and water ( lukewarm ) and swoosh it around in the mouth. Also a mixture of 50% hydrogen peroxide and 50% water can be swooshed around in the mouth and used as a mouthwash. Hydrogen peroxide can kill many of the bacteria that can cause bad breath.
K. Commercial mouthwashes contain antibacterial agents including cetylpyridinium chloride, chlorhexidine, zinc gluconate, essential oils, and chlorine dioxide. Zinc and chlorhexidine provide strong synergistic effect. They may also contain alcohol, which is a drying agent and may worsen the problem. Rinses in this category include Scope and Listerine. Others, like the mouthwashes from BIOTENE and OASIS contain oil. The use of these oils has been studied and was found effective.
The odors are produced mainly due to anaerobic ( they do not need oxygen to live ) bacteria breakdown of proteins into individual amino acids, followed by the further breakdown of certain amino acids to produce detectable foul gases. Volatile sulfur compounds have been shown to be associated with oral malodor levels, and usually decrease following successful treatment.
Other locations in the mouth that cause halitosis are, in descending prevalence order: inter-dental and sub-gingival niches, faulty dental work, food-impaction areas in-between the teeth, abscesses ,unclean dentures and gum disease.
B.Nose
The next major source of bad breath is the nose. The odor exiting the nostrils has a pungent odor which differs from the oral odor. Nasal odor may be due to sinus infections or foreign bodies.
C. Tonsils
Contributes to some 3-5% of cases.
D. Stomach
The stomach as a very uncommon source of bad breath (except in belching). When true halitosis from the stomach appears it is usually due to a secondary health problem such as reflux disease.
Sometimes halitosis happen due to systemic disease. Your doctor will need to rule out the following diseases: Chronic liver failure, bronchial and lung infections, renal infections and renal failure, carcinomas, trimethylaminuria, ketoacidosis from diabetes mellitus and metabolic dysfunctions.
Diagnosis
The most important measurement of bad breath is the actual sniffing and scoring of the level and type of the odor carried out by experts.
Smelling one's own breath odor is often difficult due to habituation, although many people with bad breath are able to detect it in others. For these reasons, the simplest way to know whether one has bad breath is to ask a trusted adult family member or very close friend .
One method to determine the presence of bad breath is to lightly scrape the posterior back of the tongue with a plastic disposable spoon and to smell the drying residue. Since breath odor changes in intensity throughout the day depending on many factors, multiple testing may be necessary.
If bad breath is persistent, and all other medical and dental factors have been ruled out, specialised testing and treatment is required. Hundreds of dental offices and commercial breath clinics now claim to diagnose and treat bad breath through machine testing.
How do I treat halitosis?
These are a series of tips to help:
A. Brush teeth and rinse mouth thoroughly after every meal to remove food particle from the mouth. Use dental floss. When you are brushing your teeth, also brush your tongue, specially the back part if it. Gently cleaning the tongue surface twice daily with a tongue brush, tongue scraper or tongue cleaner to wipe off the bacterial biofilm, debris and mucus. An inverted teaspoon is also effective
B. Periodic dentist check ups are important to rule out gum disease and to correct any dental problems.C. If your mouth is dry, drink plenty of water. Try swooshing it around in your mouth for at least twenty seconds to loosen any food particles the bacteria can feed upon. BIOTENE ( www.laclede.com )has got several products to help on mouth moisturizing.
D. Avoid breath mints and mouthwashes that contain alcohol. Instead of helping, they tend to dry the mouth, creating a more favorable environment for bacteria.
E. Snacking on vegetables such as raw celery or carrots can keep plaque from forming.
F. Onions and garlic should be avoided if you want to attend a meeting. Avoid alcohol and caffeine consumption, which can dry the mouth.
G. Quit smoking. Tar and nicotine can build up, also they can dry mouth and inhibit saliva flow.
H. Chlorophyll is a natural breath freshener and is found in leafy green vegetables like parsley.
I. A few drops of peppermint or tea tree oil can be applied to the tongue or toothbrush to help freshen the breath. In addition to its refreshing nature, their antibacterial properties will kill the bacteria found in the mouth.
J. Baking soda has a long history of being used to maintain good oral health and for fighting bad breath. You can mix baking soda, salt and water ( lukewarm ) and swoosh it around in the mouth. Also a mixture of 50% hydrogen peroxide and 50% water can be swooshed around in the mouth and used as a mouthwash. Hydrogen peroxide can kill many of the bacteria that can cause bad breath.K. Commercial mouthwashes contain antibacterial agents including cetylpyridinium chloride, chlorhexidine, zinc gluconate, essential oils, and chlorine dioxide. Zinc and chlorhexidine provide strong synergistic effect. They may also contain alcohol, which is a drying agent and may worsen the problem. Rinses in this category include Scope and Listerine. Others, like the mouthwashes from BIOTENE and OASIS contain oil. The use of these oils has been studied and was found effective.
Alternative Medicine
If the patient has got gum disease, Coenzime Q10 ( 200mg a day ) is recommended, along with Vitamins C, E, selenium and zinc.
On the herbal side, Thyme and eucaliptus derivatives are already used by mouthwashes such as Listerine. Volatile oils made from tea tree, clove, caraway, peppermint, and sage, as well as the herbs myrrh and bloodroot might be considered in a mouthwash or toothpaste. Beware of allergic reactions and potential side effects of these.
If the patient has got gum disease, Coenzime Q10 ( 200mg a day ) is recommended, along with Vitamins C, E, selenium and zinc.
On the herbal side, Thyme and eucaliptus derivatives are already used by mouthwashes such as Listerine. Volatile oils made from tea tree, clove, caraway, peppermint, and sage, as well as the herbs myrrh and bloodroot might be considered in a mouthwash or toothpaste. Beware of allergic reactions and potential side effects of these.
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