How to Get Rid of Bad Breath
Not much is worse than bad breath. Socially, it can be a death knell to relationships and party invitations and medically it could mean...
Posted on May 15, 2021
HalitosisWhile bad breath is not a common topic of conversation around the dining table, if you’ve ever been to a dinner party in close quarters you’ll know that it can be an unwelcome guest. It goes by several names, including halitosis, foetor oris, and oral malodor. The American Dental Association estimates that about half of all Americans experience halitosis at some point in their lives, but for some, bad breath can be a more chronic problem than just spreading a whiff of your last tuna sandwich.
Put simply, halitosis is exhaled air from the nose or mouth that just doesn’t smell so good. At a molecular level, bad mouth odors are caused by volatile compounds in the breath that are interpreted by the nose as a smell it wishes it hadn’t smelled.
Halitosis can make for an embarrassing social encounter although many people with bad breath don’t realize they have it. Conversely, there are people who are overly anxious about the thought but who have no detectable malodor, a situation known as halitophobia.
Though bad breath can originate from either the mouth or elsewhere, 90% of halitosis cases are due to a problem in the mouth. Around 9% arises from elsewhere in the body and the remaining 1% is due to the diet or drugs. When we inspect it more closely, there are a multitude of specific reasons why your breath may be carrying a less than pleasant odor:
Poor dental hygiene – The American Dental Association doesn’t advise twice-daily brushing and regular flossing just for fun. Food particles trapped in the various spaces of the mouth are broken down by bacteria, which then release sulfur compounds, one of those volatile molecular compounds that offend the nose. Dental cavities, plaque, and gum disease provide extra hiding places for food and bacteria, further contributing to bad breath.
Halitosis can be detected with a simple sniff. If it smells like garlic it’s reasonably straightforward what the culprit is but if it just smells generally bad all the time, it may be worth a visit to the dentist or physician to figure out what the underlying cause may be. Particularly unusual breath odors may be a sign of something unexpected; for example, poorly controlled diabetes can result in the breath smelling fruity, while liver or kidney failure can cause the breath to smell fishy.
Many of the causes of halitosis can be easily dealt with or prevented. Consider not eating that tuna sandwich just before you go on a date. According to the American Dental Association, brush and floss your teeth regularly to weed out those bacteria-attracting food particles and reduce plaque build-up. If you are a habitual or occasional smoker, fresher breath will be only one of the many benefits of quitting. Other steps you can take to improve bad breath include:
Persistent bad breath should not be ignored, and not just for the sake of your social life. After checking in with your dentist to rule out any oral-related factors, the next stop may need to be a visit to your family physician or even an ENT specialist to ensure that there aren’t any serious underlying conditions causing your halitosis.
Not much is worse than bad breath. Socially, it can be a death knell to relationships and party invitations and medically it could mean...