Halitosis Treatment
What is Halitosis?
Bad breath is one of life’s maladies which aren’t exactly classified as serious, but can still do considerable damage to the sufferer. Halitosis, as the condition is also known, can lead to low self-esteem and complicate how one deals with other people. The condition is embarrassing at best. And the worst part of all is that you could have bad breath without even knowing about it. This is because the foul breath is only evident to those you speak to but chances are that the sufferer is oblivious to the stink.
Do you have bad breath?
Since it can be difficult for you to pick up the scent of your own breath, here is a clever way to self-diagnose halitosis. Lick a small patch of the back of your hand and let it dry. Once it’s all dried up, try smelling the patch of skin. The foul smelling compounds found in your saliva should still be present even after the saliva has dried up so you’ll be able to smell if you have halitosis or not.
What are the different causes of bad breath?
Bad breath has a number of causes, and knowledge of these root causes will enable the
person to come up with the best remedy. Here are some of the common causes of bad breath:
Bacteria
Anaerobic bacteria, or bacteria which do not utilize oxygen, are known for emitting foul-smelling metabolites. Most of the time, these bacterial strains are found in the folds of one’s tongue and in crevices where there are limited levels of oxygen. If you think that this is the reason you have bad breath, then you should think about using a tongue scraper in order to get rid of such strains of bacteria from inside your mouth. While some toothbrushes have built-in tongue scrapers, you should invest in a tongue scraper which fits the size and contours of your mouth properly.
You can also try swishing a mouthwash product. The alcohol in the mouthrinse is actually toxic to bacteria and has the ability to eradicate bacterial populations. At the same time, good dental hygiene is crucial to solving bad breath due to bacteria. Right after a meal, the levels of bacteria increase drastically, and the larger the populations of bacteria, the more foul metabolites are produced. Fortunately, brushing after each meal can help to put in check the populations of bacteria inside your mouth.
Gastrointestinal Tract Diseases
Diseases of the gastrointestinal tract can also influence the smell of your breath. If you have gastric reflux disorders, the distinct smell of the partially digested food can actually lend itself to the smell of your breath. For this reason, people with GERD should solve this underlying disorder first before they can improve the smell of their breaths.
Nasal Drip
When you have an existing respiratory disease, the nasal or mucous secretions can drip down to your mouth through the back of your nose. Since these secretions can be rather smelly, your breath will naturally have a funky smell to it as well. Again, treating the underlying condition is important to treat halitosis.
