Halitosis which is commonly referred as BAD BREATH affects a substantial number of people in all countries. The causes range widely but 85-90% of all the causes originate from the mouth itself.

The seven most common causes of bad breath are:

1. Accumulation of Food Debris: The most common cause for bad breath is the accumulation of food debris on or between the teeth, coated tongue (resulting from poor oral hygiene). These food particles are acted upon by anaerobic bacteria producing respiratory products which give off the characteristic rotten egg smell.

2. Tooth Decay: The decay of tooth by bacteria is an important causative agent of bad breath. The bacteria have putrefactive (rottening) action on the tooth leading to its demineralization causing halitosis.

3. Dryness of mouth (Xerostomia): Saliva has extensive anti-bacterial action. When there is reduction or absence of saliva in the oral cavity, it leads to accumulation of plaque which favors bacterial growth causing bad breath.

4. Gum Diseases: Gum diseases and periodontal diseases are important causative agents of bad breath.

5. Smoking: Smoking causes smokers breath which is due to the accumulation of nicotine, tar and other foul smelling substances in the oral cavity.

6. Severe Dieting: Apart from the innumerable other harmful affects, severe dieting also causes bad breath due to ketoacidosis because of prolonged starvation.

7. Extra-oral sources: The extra oral causes of bad breath include infections of respiratory tract, diabetes and kidney dysfunction.

An important aspect of halitosis that should be mentioned is Halitophobia or delusional Halitosis which affects around 25% of the people seeking professional advice for Halitosis. Halitophobia is the fear of having bad breath (and not actual bad breath) which drives these people to seek professional advice.

8 Remedies for Bad Breath

Bad breath or Halitosis as it is medically known can be an embarrassing condition to contend with. It affects your rapport with colleagues or classmates.

There are plenty of causes of bad breath. The most effective way to prevent bad breath is by maintaining good oral hygiene by following the 10 Commandments of Good Oral Health. However, it should be noted that there can be extra-oral sources of bad breath and these underlying causes must be dealt with for the successful treatment of halitosis.

Bad breath

I will discuss the 8 remedies of bad breath which should help in curing your bad breath.

• As clichéd or repetitive it might sound, a large percentage of the U.S population do not brush 2 times a day in a correct way. So, learn brushing the right way and do it regularly.
• Tooth Decay is an important causative agent of halitosis and should be treated immediately. There are various treatments for tooth decay including fillings and Root Canal Treatment (RCT).
• Dry Mouth (Xerostomia) reduces the saliva which is a natural mouthwash leading to bad breath. There are many possible causes of Xerostomia and people affected by Xerostomia should get this condition rectified to treat Halitosis. Generally, drinking lots of water and chewing sugar-free gum is helpful.
• Quit Smoking and Chewing tobacco as smoking and tobacco products accumulate in the oral cavity emitting foul smell.
• Using a mouthwash effectively reduces the bad breath but it may not treat the underlying cause.
• Rinse your mouth after every meal and drink as this reduces the amount of food debris and sugars that bacteria thrive on.
• Make sure you are not a victim of delusional Halitosis or Halitophobia which simply means you do not have halitosis yet.
• In case, you are concerned after having bad breath when hungry, it’s normal and will go away when you eat something.

Apart from the other effects on general health such as back strain and eye problems, spending long hours on the pc puts you at a risk of developing dental problems.

Ever noticed bad breath from your mouth when sitting in front of the pc for a long time and suddenly opening your mouth? Well this is just one minor effect.

Long hours in front of PC causes dehydration of the mouth. What this means is that there is reduced saliva in your mouth. Saliva is a natural mouthwash which prevents bacteria accumulation in your mouth. So, when this is reduced, bacteria thrive in such conditions leading to the development of plaque.

So What to Do About IT?

• Take 10 mins breaks after every hour or two on the Computer ( A BREAK means a BREAK and not sitting infront of the idiot box). Relax yourself and return to your favourite gadget after the break.
• Keep a bottle of water handy. Drink a glass of water after half an hour or so. This re hydrates your mouth removing bad odor and inhibiting bacteria.

1. Brush your teeth twice daily: Brush your teeth twice a day to avoid majority of the dental problems.
Brushing incorrectly may reduce its effectiveness. It’s important to know how to correctly brush your teeth.

2. Use a Dental Floss: Flossing cleans the areas which are harder for a toothbrush to reach. It removes the food debris and plaque accumulated between the teeth. Flossing twice daily is preferable.

3. Use of Mouth Washes: Mouthwashes possess effective antiseptic properties. They kill the bacterial plaque known to cause bad breath, tooth decay and gingivitis. Use a mouthwash AFTER BRUSHING as per its directions.

4. Eating right: Maintain a balanced diet but reduce the consumption of foods containing sugars or starch. Sugary Foods( Candies, gums) and Starchy foods(potato chips, snacks) play an important role in causing tooth decay.

5. Avoid in between eating habits: Snacking between meals makes the teeth prone to tooth decay. The bacterial action is greatest at acidic Ph. The Ph is most acidic immediately after meals and gradually reduces and comes to a normal level. Eating in between meals does not allow the acidic level to come down increasing bacterial action leading to caries.

6. Avoid Cola and Energy Drinks: Cola drinks contain acids such as phosphoric acid and citric acid which have damaging effect on teeth. Energy drinks contain organic acids in addition to the above which directly damage the tooth calcium. ENERGY DRINKS AND COMMERCIAL LEMONADE ARE 11 TIMES MORE HARMFUL TO TEETH THAN COLA DRINKS. If you must drink, don't sip on them for a long time and do rinse your mouth after drinking

7. Quit Smoking: Smoking not only stains your teeth but also damages your gums by reducing the blood supply. It also causes smokers breath

8. Chewing Sugar free Gum: Chewing Sugar free gum prevents bad breath and fights tooth decay by washing away the plaque acid resulting in healthier teeth.

9. Regular visits to your Dentist: It is essential to visit your dentist once in 3-6 months to diagnose any oral concerns early. Most oral health problems do not produce any symptoms till they have progressed to a later stage.

10. Oral Piercings: Oral Piercings such as tongue or lip are a no-no for good oral health. Tongue piercings can lead to allergic reactions, infections, nervous damage to tongue and gum disease.

• Brushing sans flossing is comparable to cleaning only 65% of your body leaving the 35% dirty which simply means you are not completely clean.
• Flossing removes the tiny trapped food particles and also the plaque trapped between the teeth which a tooth brush cannot reach.
• It also prevents the formation of tartar which if formed can only be removed by your dentist.
• Recent studies have indicated flossing reduces the risk of heart attack. Hard to believe? Well, this is attributed to the close relation between gum disease and heart attack. The gum disease is prevented by regular flossing which decreases the risk for heart attack.

• Vigorous brushing does more harm than good. Overzealous brushing can lead to eroded enamel which never grows back causing teeth sensitivity along with other oral problems.
• The popular practice of placing a cap on toothbrush head actually favors bacterial growth on it as moisture is increased in enclosed containers favoring the growth of bacteria.
• The swallowing of a fluoride containing toothpaste can cause many harmful effects such as fluoride toxicity. (Hence kids below 5 years should be given non fluoridated toothpastes)
• There was a sudden massive surge of patients with tooth decay the year coke was launched.
• Always replace a toothbrush after you had a cold, sore throat or notorious infections. The bacteria plant them on the toothbrush which can lead to reinfection.
• New born babies have no caries forming bacteria. Infact, it is the babies mother who transmits the plaque forming bacteria by blowing on food before feeding and kissing the babies mouth.
  

• A study released by the Academy of General Dentistry tells us that habitual chomping of your nails can lead to fractured, cracked, chipped and worn front teeth. This occurs due to the excessive stress on your front teeth due to many and frequent episodes of unhindered indulgence in this habit(as the biters call it).
• Other dental concerns that the nail biters can be subjected to are damaged gum tissue which is mainly due to sharp edges of nails. The bacteria in the nails(Yes! they exist and lots of them too) can spread in the mouth and the bacteria in the mouth can spread to the nail bed and consequently the blood stream.