Bad Breath

We all have it, what do we do with it?

Let us review some of the causes of bad breath. Bacteria growing in the oral cavity, food rotting between teeth, scummy tongue and diseased gum tissues are the predominant cause bad breath or halitosis. I am not concentrating on dietary eliminates such as onion breath that slowly dissipates as the body eliminates it from the digestive tract. In my experience 90% of breath originates from the mouth.

Bacteria grow between the gum and teeth and on the surface of the tongue. They can double in population every 20 minutes. The overpopulation can overwhelm the host (you) not get properly cleaned away by natural forces like chewing. Infections have a very characteristic smell. I haven’t come across any abscess or chronic infection that had a pleasant odor, especially in the mouth. Bacterial waste contains hydrogen sulfide (similar to rotten eggs). It is pungent and pervasive if not contained.

Treatment of bad breath may mean a visit to the dentist for a diagnosis. You may be tested with a halimeter that can measure sulfide emissions. It is not always necessary to have a machine tell you what sensitive noses can detect. The dentist will try to determine if your bad breath is chronic or just periodic. We all have periodic halitosis. Usually, thorough and gentle tooth brushing, flossing and tongue scraping several times a day will be all that is needed. Chronic halitosis may require a dietary change to include more roughage to facilitate self cleaning of the back of the tongue.

Regular periodic visits to your dental hygienist to detect and prevent bacterial infections from getting worse and can recommend products to reduce bad breath. I favor the mouth rinses that specifically target neutralizing the sulfides with oxidizers. Chewing gums for dry mouth or just self-cleansing are great. Try the sugarless gums containing xylitol. Two gums I recommend are Hersey’s Ice Breakers Ice Cubes and Trident XTRA Care. Xylitol, aside from being an artificial sweetener, also cannot be digested by harmful bacteria. Keep hydrated and avoid alcohol-containing mouth rinses because they will dry out the mouth.

Finally, get in the habit of scraping your tongue after brushing your teeth. The tongue can be a safe harbor of bacteria and can re-infect the newly cleaned teeth in a matter of minutes. Brushing the tongue is not adequate and a specially designed scraper is recommended.