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Bad breath is most objectionable. It is also known as halitosis. Most people who suffer from this problem are not aware of
their problem. The common cause of this problem is bad teeth. Dental decay at the roots of the teeth may result in abscesses
in the gums with foul smelling pus giving bad odor to the breath.
Even small holes in the teeth may provide a place where germs can multiply and give foul odors. These are very common
in younger people. Badly fitting dentures that are not cleaned properly also leads to bad breathe. It is common in old people.
Bad breath does not arise from the stomach. Actually, anaerobic bacteria in mouth produce smelly sulfur compounds that cause
bad breath.
Other causes for the bad breathe may be infection of the tonsils, adenoids or sinuses. Bad breath may also arise from
the inflammation in the stomach and also from the food materials that have not been completely digested. Tobacco, alcohol,
alcohol containing mouth rinses, dry mouth, foods like garlic, onion, and spicy foods, hunger, morning breath, poor oral hygiene
can also cause bad breath.
Colds, coughs and sore throats are also reasons for bad breath, because the surrounding area in the mouth has increased
bacterial content.
Everybody gets bad breath or halitosis somehow or the other, no matter how good oral hygiene. Bad breath is usually caused
due to poor diet, drying of the mouth, not brushing teeth regularly, illness, low fluid intake, stress, lack of salivary flow
and exercise. Some people are more prone to bad breath (halitosis) than others, and need to pay extra attention in order to
maintain fresh breath.
The bacterial waste products that are the common cause of bad breath are produced when oral anaerobic bacteria digest
proteins. After eating a meal we should clean our mouth immediately.
Drinking plenty of water throughout the day will help to control bad breath (halitosis ). Dehydration will try to conserve
moisture by reducing salivary flow, thus minimizing saliva's cleansing and diluting effects on the bacteria and bacterial
waste products that are the cause of bad breath.
Gargles with plain water also decrease bad breath for short periods of time. Rinsing will both dilute and partially remove
the bacterial waste products that are the cause of bad breath.
HOME REMEDIES FOR BAD BREATH
· A person can never suffer from bad breath if he/she keeps teeth, tongue, and mouth clean. One should take all care in
cleaning teeth by using proper toothbrush and using proper brushing technique.
· Brush your teeth in the morning, in the evening, and after every meal, especially after eating milk products, fish and
meat.
· Wash the tongue with baking soda dissolved in warm water to decrease the acidity in mouth making a less-friendly environment
for the bacteria to grow.
· Most mouthwashes contain alcohol which dries and damages soft oral tissue and leads to even faster formation of odor
causing bacteria and gum tissue damage which makes bad breath worse Mouthwash containing cetylpyridinium chloride, chlorine
dioxide, sodium chlorite or zinc acts as an antibacterial agent and these can control the growth of bacteria in the mouth.
· Eating plain yogurt for 6 weeks can help to get rid of the bad breath because it decreases the levels of offensive compounds
produced by bacteria in the mouth by 80%.
. Doing gurgles with a glass of water with the juice of half a lemon added also helps to reduce the bad breath.
· Brushing gums and tongue with some powdered cloves also helps to reduce the bad breath.
· A patient with bad breath should avoid the following foods: Blue Cheeses, spicy salami, tuna, anchovies, curry, garlic,
onions, milk, red meat, coffee, cola drinks
· Cardamom seeds can also help to sweeten breath. Parsley leaves are rich in chlorophyll, which is natural deodorizer.
· Fennel Tea helps to reduce the bad odor. Compounds found in tea can decrease the growth of bacteria that cause bad breath.
Polyphenols, chemical components of tea, prevent both the growth of bacteria responsible for bad breath and the bacteria's
production of malodorous compounds.
· Cranberries have the power to fight the offensive-smelling bacteria that can build up in mouth and lead to bad breath.
· Avoid frequent spicy foods and excessive alcohol or coffee. Also stop smoking.
· Avoid excessive sugar as sweet helps to feed the bacteria.
· Increasing the flow of saliva can decrease bad breath. This is because saliva has a cleansing and diluting effect on
the bacteria and bacterial waste products that cause bad breath. Chewing gums, breath mints, and lozenges can increase the
salivary flow.
· Eating a green raw Guava also helps to fight against the bad breath.
· Cloves also help to keep the fresh breath. Keep some cloves under the molars without chewing.
· Eat a fresh fruit, which is fibrous, such as an apple, after lunch.
· Whenever possible chew on sugar-free gum as it also reduces the bad breath.
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