what’s the solution to a Dry Mouth and Bad Breath?
RWC asked:
First of all, when I drink water, I tend to like to urinate a lot. However, if I do not drink water, my mouth gets dry. When my mouth is dry, my breath then stinks. So, I need to drink water…it’s a cycle. Eating food does help my dry mouth, but what else can I do to solve my problems of a dry mouth, bad breath, frequent urination?
Chew gum or suck on mints
spearmint gum
So what’s the problem with frequent urination? Wear a diaper if you don’t like the frequent trips to the bathroom.
I’m not a Dr. but you should see one after reading this:
drink a lot of water and stop smoking u stupid bastard! dont u know its bad 4 ur health?
might be something else going on –like a kidney thing?
boy go head and get some mints
they sell a dry mouth mouth wash at any local store like kmart or wall mart it also comes in a spray and gell you can swab your mouth with ( i work at kmart thats how i know )
take a drink and brush ur teeth. u don’t know much about hygene do u.
Transient bad breath is a very common temporary condition caused by such things as oral dryness, stress, hunger (ketosis), eating certain foods such as garlic and onions, smoking, or poor oral hygiene. “Morning breath” is a common example of transient bad breath. Transient bad breath gradually disappears on its own, with the aid of chewing gum or brushing one’s teeth. Chronic bad breath is a more serious and persistent condition affecting up to 25% of the population in varying degrees. It can negatively impact the individual’s personal and business relationships, leading to poor self-esteem and increased stress. This condition is usually caused by persistent overpopulation of certain types of oral bacteria, primarily streptococcus mutans, and requires specialised treatment. Xerostomia (dry mouth syndrome) will increase bad breath problems.
Fetor hepaticus is a type of severely bad breath caused by chronic liver failure.
It is believed that bad breath is caused by anaerobic bacteria under the surface of the tongue. These bacteria thrive only in an oxygen poor, acidic environment. Because of this, two separate things need to be accomplished. First, add oxygen. Second, reduce acidity.
To add oxygen: use hydrogen peroxide as a mouthwash. (use one part hydrogen peroxide (3%), and one part salty water)
To reduce acidity: use baking soda as a toothpaste. (use three parts baking soda, to one part salt)
This simple two step process has been found very effective by many bad breath sufferers. Those who do not find success using the above basic remedy, can go ahead and follow the advice of mainstream medical remedies, as per the following paragraph.
Currently, chronic halitosis is not very well understood or even recognised as a treatable condition by most doctors and dentists, so effective treatment is difficult to find. There are a growing number of bad breath clinics responding to this endemic problem; unfortunately, most are simply outlets for one breath product or another. As with all general-purpose formulations, any one particular product may be effective for some, partly effective for a few, and not at all helpful for others. A very small number of clinics use a detailed assessment process including microbiology to determine the specific type or types of odour-causing bacteria. The specific bacteria are then controlled by individualised treatments. This procedure results in a very high success rate. Some who take a more holistic view of the body, including naturopaths and alternative nutritionist, believe that halitosis can be cured or greatly diminished by improving the overall health of the digestive tract, especially the small and large intestines. This process usually requires a change in eating style, lifestyle, and diet.
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Causes
Though the causes of breath odour are not entirely understood, most unpleasant odors are known to arise from food debris trapped in the mouth which is processed by normal mouth flora; there are over 400 types of bacteria found in the average mouth. Several dozen of these can cause trouble when allowed to flourish or are genetically disposed to overpopulate. Large quantities of these naturally-occurring bacteria are often found on the posterior of the tongue, where they are undisturbed by normal activity. The rough surface of the tongue dorsum provides an ideal habitat for anaerobic bacteria, which flourish under a continually-forming tongue coating of food debris, dead cells, and hundreds of thousands of bacteria, living and dead. When left on the tongue, the anaerobic respiration of such bacteria can yield either the putrescent smell of polyamines, or the “rotten egg” smell of volatile sulfur compounds (VSCs) such as hydrogen sulfide, methyl mercaptan and dimethyl sulfide, depending on the bacteria type. It is generally these compounds which, when mixed with mouth air and exhaled, produce unpleasant breath. Other causes of chronic bad breath may be periodontitis (gum disease), helminthiasis (intestinal parasitic infections), diabetes, kidney failure, sinusitis, tonsilloliths, gastroesophageal reflux disorder (GERD), trimethylaminuria (TMAU), hormonal changes, and a wide variety of prescription drugs (especially when taken on a longterm basis).
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Diagnosis
One’s own breath odour is often undetectable due to habituation, although many people will have an accompanying bad taste (metallic, sour, fecal, etc) depending on oral dryness and the degree of breath odour.
A somewhat effective home method to determine the presence of bad breath is to lick the back of the wrist, let the saliva dry for a minute or two, and smell the result. Another way would be to lightly scrape the posterior of the tongue with an inverted spoon or a piece of dental floss, and to smell the dried residue. A spouse, family member, or close friend may be willing to smell one’s breath and provide honest feedback. Highly reliable home tests are now available which use a chemical reaction to test for the presence of polyamines and sulfur compounds on tongue swabs. Remember that breath odour changes in intensity throughout the day depending on many factors, so test several times.
If bad breath is persistent, and all other medical and dental factors have been ruled out, specialised testing and treatment is required.
Hundreds of dental offices and breath clinics now use a portable sulfide monitor called the Halimeter to test for levels of sulfur emissions (specifically, hydrogen sulfide) in the mouth air. When used properly this device can be very effective at determining levels of certain VSC-producing bacteria. However, it has drawbacks in clinical applications. For example, other common sulfides (such as mercaptan) are not recorded as easily and can be misrepresented in test results. Certain foods such as garlic and onions produce sulfur in the breath for as long as 48 hours and can result in false readings. The Halimeter is also very sensitive to alcohol, so one should avoid drinking alcohol or using alcohol-containing mouthwashes for at least 12 hours prior to being tested. This analog machine loses sensitivity over time and requires periodic recalibration to remain accurate.
New technology is now appearing in the form of portable gas chromatography machines such as the OralChroma, which is specifically designed to digitally measure molecular levels of the three major VSCs in a sample of mouth air (hydrogen sulfide, methyl mercaptan, and dimethyl sulfide). It is extremely accurate and produces visual results in graph form via computer interface.
Microbiological testing of swab samples of teeth and tongue residue remains the most accurate method of determining the specific bacterial causes of oral malodour.
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Home care
Using commercial breath-freshening mouthwashes, mints, or lozenges gives only temporary relief at best, since these products only mask mouth odours for a few minutes. Rinses containing antibacterials such as chlorhexidine, zinc gluconate, or chlorine dioxide may provide better control depending on the individual. Avoid alcohol-containing rinses, since alcohol is a drying agent and will worsen the problem.
Bad breath may be temporarily reduced by using a hydrogen peroxide rinse. Hydrogen peroxide at a concentration of 1.5% can be taken as an oral antiseptic by gargling 10 ml, about two teaspoons. Hydrogen peroxide is commonly available at a concentration of 3% and should be diluted to 1.5% by mixing it with an equal volume of water. Hydrogen peroxide is a powerful oxidizer which kills most bacteria, including useful aerobic bacteria.
The most effective products are generally not available in drugstores, but can be found on the internet. High-quality home breath tests and antibacterial rinses, spritzes, toothpastes, gums, mints, and tongue gels tend to be higher in price, like any premium product; but unlike the well-known inexpensive brand names, they do a much better job of controlling persistent breath problems. In the case of internet shopping for breath products, two caveats apply: the consumer must do extra research to make sure the vendor can be trusted (look for established halitosis clinics or dental supply companies); and remember that without professional assessment to guide you, there will be a certain amount of trial-and-error involved in finding the best solution for your problem.
Brushing after meals and flossing at least once daily is necessary to remove rotting food debris from between the teeth, especially at the gumline. Gently cleaning the tongue surface twice daily with a tonguebrush, tongue scraper, or tongue cleaner will reduce this primary source of breath odour. An inverted teaspoon is also effective; a toothbrush less so, as the size and angle of the head do not allow it to reach as far as necessary. Be careful to avoid scraping the V-shaped row of taste buds found at the extreme back of the tongue. Brushing a small amount of antibacterial mouth rinse or tongue gel onto the tongue surface will further inhibit bacterial action.
Since dry mouth can increase bacterial buildup and cause or worsen bad breath, chewing sugarless gum can help with the production of saliva, and thereby help to reduce bad breath. Some gums, toothpastes, sprays, and gels which combat dry mouth for several hours have recently been marketed over the counter. Maintain water levels in the body by drinking several glasses of water a day. Adding lemon juice to your water is refreshing and also beneficial. Parsley is a natural breath freshener when chewed slowly, and is easy to grow at home.
Some studies have shown that eating yogurt, drinking green tea, or chewing cinnamon or sugarless cinnamon gum can reduce bad breath.[citation neede
Are you on any type of medication? This will cause a dry mouth. If you are there is a product you can buy off the shelf at the pharmacy. Check it out.
mint water.
Chew gum for your breath but also to cause your mouth to salivate more which will help some with the dry mouth. I drink milk when I have dry mouth. It seems to help. Good luck!
Continue drinking water, not in large amounts, but throughout the day to stay hydrated. Brush your teeth twice a day, eat fruits and vegetables, and if bad breath is bothering you so badly, chew trident or some gum without lots of sugar. Floss regularly.
A lot of people have this but don’t want to admit. It’s cool that you’re open about it.
The reason why dry mouth leads to bad breath is because whatever food particles or germs have started to decay creating that rotten or sulphurous smell.
Mouthwash has antiseptic that is designed to kill as much of that foul-smelling bacteria. Interestingly enough, the reason why mouthwash appears to be ineffective for some is because of the technique they use.
Even though you can slush around the mouthwash between your gums, the trickier bacteria is on the back of your tongue near your tonsils.
The reason why your mouth salivates is to create “dental irrigation.” It’s the same reason why flowing water will rarely create bacteria.
If you look at the new inventions they have for water bowls for cats and dogs, it’s a flowing waterfall because it keeps the water moving so that it never stagnates long enough for bacteria to gain a foothold and start festering.
When it comes to the composition of the mouth, you salivate under your tongue and it wells up underneath and soaks around between your teeth. However, that saliva rarely moves around on the back of your tongue allowing those food particles embedded there to have the right conditions to start mass producing and creating that odor of bad breath.
There’s no real effective cure for that with exception to:
1) Brushing your tongue carefully (soft scrub is good so that you don’t vomit)
2) Making sure you gargle by tilting your head back and allowing that antiseptic in the mouthwash to slush around on the back of your tongue as much as possible
3) Flossing regularly is to get rid of as much of the food particles stuck between your teeth that will also start to decay in your mouth creating bad breath
With the last part, it’s necessary to floss because it’s a Catch-22:
1) If you don’t floss, those food particles will accumulate and decay creating bad breath
2) If you do floss, but it’s done irregularly, your gums aren’t accustomed to it and they’ll bleed
3) When your gums bleed, that blood that is in your mouth will start to smell because of the dead blood cells that aren’t in a “conducive environment” to survive so you get that “dead blood” smell
Without meaning to sound gruesome, that’s why decaying corpses smell so nasty. It’s decay because bacteria is (which is a natural process) is attempting to break down all the cells into something useful.
Although people hate bacteria, the purpose of bacteria is to convert waste from solid to a gaseous state.
Even when it comes to people who smell bad or have terrible body odor, that’s the human body being forced to get rid of dirt and grime when people don’t take showers regularly. If you don’t take a shower, your body is forced to use a “natural method” of getting rid of those particles.
This comes back to your question of bad breath and its origin. If a person is unable to clean their mouth properly, the body has to resort to its own methods of getting rid of waste, which is by breaking down food and creating decay to eliminate those food particles that haven’t been properly removed.
It’s a biological process. It just happens to be offensive to humans, especially in the U.S., because there’s so much focus on Hygiene.
An interesting tip regarding mouthwash is that the antiseptic they use is designed to be “soft” on the mouth. The same antiseptic is used in cleaning agents, but it’s more abrasive. If you took 409 and attempted to gargle with it, it would be bad.
With that in mind, that’s why Adult Homes use Mouthwash as a disinfectant when cleaning the armpits of senior citizens so that they don’t smell. The mouthwash is a disinfectant, but it’s not harsh on the skin and will disinfect the armpit that is creating a smell.
That’s why a neat trick or tip for anyone who has bad body odor is to take a cotton swab, put mouthwash on it, and apply it to your armpits.
Deodorant masks the smell or covers it up by caking on top of it, but mouthwash really gets in there and tackles the germs and bacteria embedded there.
Get a thorough check up with Dentist.
Check for Diabetics (Blood and Urine)
Drink plenty of fluids ( drinking stuffs)
Ensure correct brushing of teeth Twice a day
(morning brushing adds beauty and evening adds health.
Use mouth fresheners.
Ensure your foods contain adequate amount of vitamin C.
Ensure a sound sleep of 6 hours a day.
Hope this much action will relieve your problem.
If not contact your primary care doctor and take medical care.