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This morning while walking across Freedom Park, I saw two lover birds sitting on a molded stone bench. They were holding hands. When they were about to kiss, the lady in a quick jolt turned her lips away from his. Waving her hand many times across her twisted and raised nose as if she smelt rotten eggs. “Oh, hold it!” she snorted.
I mused. “Poor fellow, your breath must stink to the high heavens!” But what causes bad breath? After a little research, this is what I discovered. Causes of halitosis include improper oral hygiene, dental infections, oral cavity microbial degradation. VSCs, or Volatile Sulphur Compounds formed after synthesis of cysteine and methionine in food debris. Some VSCs are Dimethyl sulfine, Hydrogen sulfide, and methyl mercaptan. Gases such as skatole, putrescine, and cadaverine exacerbate the situation. GERD, gastrointestinal disorders, nasal cavity, and systemic disorders. Let’s see what you can do?
What is Halitosis?
Halitosis is a synonym for bad breath, a technical term for foul breath.
What are the reasons for having halitosis?
There are numerous reasons for bad breath. The most known causes include the following:
Oral Related Causes
Bacteria Buildup: Improper and irregular cleaning habits allow a buildup of bacteria that feed on food fragments between your teeth. Waste produced by bacteria gives your mouth bad breath.
Dirty Braces: Always remove your braces, then brush your teeth well to remove all food crumbs between your teeth. Clean your braces thoroughly before you place them back. Failure to do so will give your mouth a bad smell.
Not Flossing: Failure to floss out food crumbs of your mouth, then eventually you’ll smell due to accumulated bacteria.
Uncleaned Tongue: Tongue can harbor lots of bacteria. Approximately 80% of cases of halitosis are brought by dirty tongues. If you only brush your teeth without cleaning your tongue, then you will have a smelly mouth.
Smoking: Smoking makes it harder to clean your mouth. It will improve your hygiene and your odor by giving up smoking.
Chewing Khat: Chewing khat causes periodontal diseases. Bacteria can thrive in the affected teeth and multiply. The breath of a person who chews khat is awful.
Medical Related causes
Oral surgery: After a surgical procedure, and the resulting wound is not treated with antiseptic drugs, you’ll have a foul smell. Thorough cleaning of the mouth wounds is important to ensure that bacteria do not colonize them. When neglected, mouth wounds harbor lots of bacteria that emit an obnoxious smell
Infected gums: When teeth are extracted and wounds not well cleaned, they host lots of bacteria. It leads to gum infection and makes your breath horrible.
Other Medical Conditions: Other causes of halitosis include;
1. Tonsil Stones.
2. Diabetes.
3. Gastrointestinal Disturbance.
4. Respiratory Tract Infections.
5. Chronic Sinusitis.
6. Liver Ailments.
7. Chronic Bronchitis.
8. Kidney Ailments.
Dietary Related Causes
Foods & Drinks: Foodstuff like onions and garlic are a source of bad breath. Coffee and caffeinated drinks also aggravate the problem. Their odors take long to clear after ingestion.
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Dry Mouth: Bacteria love dry mouth. It has too little saliva to drown bacteria. Bacteria accumulation leads to unpleasant breath. To solve this problem, drink water throughout the day.
How can I permanently eradicate bad breath?
To reduce and manage bad breath, do this:
Check your diet. Avoid foods and drinks that promote bad breath. Such as onions and garlic. Reduce coffee and caffeinated drinks intake. Cakes and other sugar-loaded foods are associated with bad breath.
Regular oral cleanliness. Brush your teeth after meals. Use antibacterial toothpaste whenever possible or fluoride-based kinds of toothpaste.
Hydrate your Mouth. Take sips of water throughout the day. Carry a water bottle wherever you go. That way, you will keep your mouth hydrated. Avoid soft drinks, alcohol, and coffee as they make your mouth even drier.
Regularly clean your tongue. Clean your tongue as you brush teeth. A soft brush will do the job.
Floss Daily. Flossing between teeth where a toothbrush cannot reach will help dislodge stuck food particles.
Change Your Toothbrush. Change your toothbrush regularly to ensure its effectiveness in cleaning your teeth. You can do this after every five months.
Clean Your Braces. Always clean your dental appliances before you put them back in your mouth. Use cleaning solutions that your dentist recommends.
Visit Your Dentist. They can give you professional advice on oral hygiene and arrest any potential oral problems in time.
Quit Smoking. Smoking makes your breath worse. After you quit smoking, you improve your health and your social life.
Stop Chewing Khat. To improve your breath, you must stop chewing khat. Khat chewing leads to dental diseases where bacteria hide.
Can bad breath come from your stomach?
Yes, it can. When acid in your stomach mixes with food and flows backward into the esophagus, there is an awful smell of poop. This medical condition is called Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease (GERD)
This movement of acid is irritating to esophageal walls and causes lots of distress to the patient. Frequent acid reflux means that you have GERD and must seek further treatment.
GERD is a breath offender as bacteria, food, and acid make a concoction bomb of bad breath. Some symptoms of GERD include heartburn, nausea, vomiting, difficulty swallowing, dental decay, and respiratory problems. If you experience all or most of these symptoms, a visit to the doctor will be worthwhile.
In conclusion, you can prevent, reduce, and manage bad breath. Observe high- level oral cleanliness, avoiding foods and drinks that exacerbate the problem. Quit smoking and chewing khat. Seek medical help if you have medical conditions that trigger halitosis such as GERD, tonsil stones, sinusitis, Respiratory Tract Infections (RTI), diabetes, renal and liver diseases.
Let your intimate moments be enjoyable. And not unbearable.
By: Simon Kim (kimanicom@gmail.com)
