Tag: Dental Hygienist

Bad Breath Causes and Cures

Kelvin Ho asked:

Bad breath (halitosis) is a common for many people and can be rather embarrassing. Halitosis can be a big turn off for those around you and if it is a condition that you suffer from long term you may notice that people may stand back from you when talking to you.

There are many causes for this condition with some being chronic conditions and others being short term causes. In this article we will discuss the causes of bad breath as well as the cures.

Causes of Halitosis

* One of the very common but reasonably short term causes is eating foods that cause smelly breath such as garlic. Garlic will even carry on causing bad breath for a while even after there is no trace of the garlic left in the mouth. This is because the active ingredients are absorbed into the blood stream and are then expelled by the lungs as you breathe.

Brushing and flossing can disguise the smell a little but as long as the odour continues to be expelled as you breathe there will still be a certain amount of bad smelling gases. The good thing with garlic breath is that it will fade of and your breath will return to normal usually within a few hours.

* Smoking is another major cause. There is the taste left in the mouth as well as the expelled odour from the lungs. Smoking also affects oral hygiene and encourages gum disease. This can also contribute towards foul smelling breath. The obvious and only way to stop this is to give up smoking.

* The most common cause of chronic bad breath is usually plaque build up which can cause small pockets to appear between the teeth and gums. These pockets then fill up with food particles and bacteria. Normal brushing and even flossing will not be able to clean these pockets completely and it needs to be done by a dental hygienist.

* Another main cause is dry mouth. Dry mouth can be caused by allergies and can also be caused by some medications such as asthma and bronchitis inhalers.

These medications can have an impact on your saliva production and actually a reduction in the amount saliva produced. This causes your mouth to become dry and as a result there is less oxygen present which makes ideal conditions for bacteria to thrive. The build up of bacteria in the mouth and on the tongue is what causes the bad smelling breath.

* Another common cause is post-nasal drip which can be as a result of an allergy. Post-nasal drip is caused by excessive mucus being produced by the sinuses which is a common reaction to allergy. This mucus is the perfect breeding ground for bacteria growth and the bacteria will feed off this condition which will result in bad breath. This cause will usually be accompanied by a bad taste in your mouth.

* The final cause is a possible allergy to certain foods. Food intolerance can have many different symptoms and one common symptom is the production of excess gas in the stomach. This gas can often reflux back up and settle in the mouth causing bad breath.

* In some cases, your offending breath can be caused by a more serious underlying condition so if the usual bad breath remedies do not get rid of the problem then you may need to visit your doctor.

Cures for Halitosis

There are many cures and remedies for halitosis but to get the best result it is best to try and identify the cause of the bad breath. By attacking the cause will give you the best results.

Here are some cures that you can try:

* The first thing to do is make sure you have a good oral hygiene routine. Brush your teeth and tongue twice a day and floss once a day. Research has shown that people that floss do have better breath than people who do not floss. Flossing will help to remove trapped food particles and prevent them from becoming a breeding ground for bacteria.

* If you have dry mouth you may be able to get an artificial saliva substitute from your dentist. If you have an allergy that is causing your dry mouth then it would pay to try to identify your allergen and work on avoiding that allergen.

* Visit a dental hygienist regularly for a professional clean. You should have this done every six months to make sure of no plaque build up between teeth.

* Minimize the food supply for bacteria. The bacteria that release foul smelling gas thrive on protein rich foods. Vegetarians who eat less protein foods have much less problems with bad breath.

* Using mouthwashes too often can not always be that good for you as they contain chemicals, however you can use a mouthwash of baking soda dissolved in water daily without any risk.

This is a natural remedy and is very safe to use daily and can help to keep the tongue clean and free from bacteria. Squeezed lemon into water can also be used daily as a gargle and will prevent bad breath from reoccurring.

* Adding yoghurt to your diet on a regular basis, preferably daily, can help to cure your breath condition and prevent it reoccurring. Yoghurt contains good bacteria and has a very good overall benefit for your health.

* Foods rich in zinc can also help to keep bacteria under control and prevent bad breath.

All of these remedies are very good so if you have no luck with them there could be another cause that you will need to see your doctor to get diagnosed so that you can take the necessary steps to heal yourself and heal your bad breath.

Tonsil Stones – How I Cured My Own Tonsil Stones and Bad Breath

John Reece asked:

My first experience with Tonsil Stones (Tonsilloliths) came at around the age of sixteen when I started to cough up these unusual looking cream-colored lumps. The only thing I knew about them at that time was the awful smell, which came from the stones when squashed between my fingers, apart from that I had no idea what they were or where they came from.

I felt too embarrassed to ask my doctor or dentist about them and never dared ask my parents or friends. They worried me at times and I often wondered whether others suffered from this problem or whether I was the only one in the world with this condition. It took me over twenty years before I eventually researched my problem and found out exactly what they were and where they came from. You may have had a similar experience and can relate to this in some way.

Bad Breath was also a problem at times, which I only became aware of by comments from friends and colleagues. After a while the penny drops and the realization sets in that you really do have a Bad Breath problem. Over the years you get to learn when the Bad Breath springs into life by the horrible dry metallic taste you get in your mouth and until very recently I never realised that Tonsil Stones and Bad Breath could be linked.

Within a very short period of time I had at last diagnosed my problem as Tonsil Stones, realised there are many others with this condition and was very surprised to find out my Bad Breath was probably also related to Tonsil Stones.

Knowing what my condition was, I thought it would be straightforward to find a treatment and get on with my life. But as with many things, this proved to be a lot more difficult than expected and I soon realised that finding a cure might not be that easy. I tried various recommended treatments by my doctor, dental hygienist and local herbal shop but these treatments at best, only masked my Bad Breath for a few hours and never helped to cure my Tonsil Stones.

What I really wanted was a permanent solution to my problem, which would last and make me feel more confident in everyday life.

After trying numerous remedies with inadequate success over quite a long period of time, I began researching a treatment, which seemed to be getting a lot of positive comments. A Doctor who specializes in oral care systems had created a product that was helping many suffers with Tonsil Stones and Bad Breath. Because I had already tried numerous things I was a little sceptical at first but eventually took the plunge and sent off for the Tonsil Stone Kit.

What can I say? Truly amazing is the only way to describe the results. My Bad Breath totally disappeared and my Tonsil Stones, although they did not disappear completely, did dramatically reduce in quantity to almost the point of extinction. Many people do completely cure their problem, but I am not complaining because I am perfectly happy with my result. It is the only product I have ever used that actually made a real difference for me.

Learn The Stuff Behind Bad Breath Causes and Cures

Kelvin Ho asked:

Bad breath (halitosis) is a common for many people and can be rather embarrassing. Bad breath can be a big turn off for those around you and if it is a condition that you suffer from long term you may notice that people may stand back from you when talking to you.

There are many causes of bad breath with some being chronic conditions and others being short term causes. In this article we will discuss the causes of bad breath as well as the cures.

Causes of Bad Breath

One of the very common but reasonably short term causes of bad breath is eating foods that cause bad breath with the main food being garlic. Garlic will even carry on causing bad breath for a while even after there is no trace of the garlic left in the mouth. This is because the active ingredients are absorbed into the blood stream and are then expelled by the lungs as you breathe.

Brushing and flossing do get rid part of the smell but as long as the odour continues to be expelled as you breathe there will still be a certain amount of bad breath. The good thing with garlic breath is that it will fade of and your breath will return to normal usually within a few hours.

Smoking is another substance that will cause bad breath by both the taste left in the mouth as well as the expelled odour from the lungs. Smoking also affects oral hygiene and encourages gum disease which can also be a big contributing factor to bad breath. The obvious and only way to stop bad breath caused by smoking is to give up smoking.

The most common cause of chronic bad breath is usually plaque build up which can cause small pockets to appear between the teeth and gums. These pockets then fill up with food particles and bacteria. Normal brushing and even flossing will not be able to clean these pockets completely and it needs to be done by a dental hygienist.

One of the main causes of bad breath is dry mouth. Dry mouth can be caused by allergies and can also be caused by some medications such as asthma and bronchitis inhalers. These medications can have an impact on your saliva production and actually a reduction in the amount saliva produced. This causes your mouth to become dry and as a result there is less oxygen present which makes ideal conditions for bacteria to thrive. The build up of bacteria in the mouth and on the tongue is what causes the bad breath.

Another cause of bad breath is post-nasal drip which can be as a result of an allergy. Post-nasal drip is caused by excessive mucus being produced by the sinuses which is a common reaction to allergy. This mucus is the perfect breeding ground for bacteria growth and the bacteria will feed off this condition which will result in bad breath. This cause will usually be accompanied by a bad taste in your mouth.

The final cause of bad breath is a possible allergy to certain foods. Food intolerance can have many different symptoms and one common symptom is the production of excess gas in the stomach. This gas can often reflux back up and settle in the mouth causing bad breath.

In some cases bad breath can be caused by a more serious underlying condition so if the usual bad breath remedies do not get rid of the problem then you may need to visit your doctor.

Cures for Bad Breath

There are many cures and remedies for bad breath but to get the best result it is best to try and identify the cause of the bad breath. By attacking the cause will give you the best results.

Here are some cures that you can try for bad breath:

The crucial point is to ensure that you practice sound oral hygiene. Brush your teeth and tongue twice a day and floss once a day. Research has shown that people that floss do have better breath than people who do not floss. Flossing will help to remove trapped food particles and prevent them from becoming a breeding ground for bacteria.

If you have dry mouth you may be able to get an artificial saliva substitute from your dentist. If you have an allergy that is causing your dry mouth then it would pay to try to identify your allergen and work on avoiding that allergen.

Visit a dental hygienist regularly for a professional clean. You should have this done every six months to make sure of no plaque build up between teeth.

Minimize the food supply for bacteria. The anaerobic bacteria that cause bad breath feed on protein rich foods. Vegetarians who eat less protein foods have much less problems with bad breath.

Using mouthwashes too often can not always be that good for you as they contain chemicals, however you can use a mouthwash of baking soda dissolved in water daily without any risk. This is a natural remedy and is very safe to use daily and can help to keep the tongue clean and free from bacteria. Squeezed lemon into water can also be used daily as a gargle and will prevent bad breath from reoccurring.

Taking yoghurt regularly can eliminate your bad breath and prevent it reoccurring. Yoghurt contains good bacteria and has a very good overall benefit for your health.

Foods rich in zinc can also help to keep bacteria under control and prevent bad breath.

All of these remedies are very good so if you have no luck with them there could be another cause that you will need to see your doctor to get diagnosed so that you can take the necessary steps to heal yourself and heal your bad breath.