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.

Bust Up Bad Breath

Lisa Andrews asked:

Most of us have bad breath at one time or another. We all wake up with “morning breath” it’s just a fact of life. There is really no way to alleviate that unless you just don’t sleep…ok, that’s not a good idea!

Studies show that 90% of bad breath comes from the mouth, usually from the back of your tongue and from bacteria in between your teeth. The bacteria produces sulfur compounds, which in turn, causes the “rotten egg” odor.

Brushing your teeth, at least twice a day (three times is better), and flossing daily will naturally help remove the bacteria. Be sure to brush the back of your tongue, also.

When you floss, notice the amount of food that comes out…that is what causes the bacteria growth.

Halitosis, or chronic bad breath, can be caused from a diet that is high in proteins, poor dental hygiene, dry mouth or some type of medical condition.

How does your diet cause bad breath?

Eating a diet high in proteins and less carbohydrates causes your body to produce ketones. Ketones give your breath a foul smelling odor.

We all know about onion and garlic breath. This happens because the odor causing chemicals in onions and garlic are digested in your bloostream. The blood flows back into your lungs for oxygen. Then as you exhale it smells foul. Until it is eliminated from your body it will affect your breath. You can use mints or gum to cover it up, but they won’t completely eliminate it.

Also, coffee and tobacco products will give your breath an unpleasant odor.

How does poor dental hygiene affect your breath?

A build-up of plague means that bacteria from food debis is sitting around on your teeth. (This was discussed earlier) It must be removed by regular flossing, brushing and visits to your dentist. Bad odors can come from unfilled cavities or gum disiease. These give bacteria a place to hang out and grow.

A dry mouth causes odors to form.

Your saliva helps to clean the food particles from your mouth, so when your mouth is dry odors form. Drinking plenty of water naturally helps your breath by stimulating the saliva glands. Eating more fiber will contibute to this, also.

Sometimes taking decongestants, antihistimines, muscles relaxers, antidepressants, diurectics or other blood pressure medications can cause dry mouth and produce odors. Drinking extra water will help with this.

How do medical conditions cause bad breath?

Respiratory infections, such as sinusitis, post-nasal drip or bronchitis can affect your breath. In addition, a gastrointestinal disorder, liver or kidney problems can contibute to bad breath. These conditions would need to be determined by your physician.

let’s look at some natural Home Remedies that will help cure your bad breath:

* Rinse your mouth with water mixed with pure lemon juice.

* Use hydrogen peroxide as a mouthwash daily. Be sure to swish it around in your mouth thoroughly and gargle for a few seconds. This will foam up in your mouth, which means the oxidizing and anti-microbial properties are at work! Spit out as much as you can, then rinse with water. Your mouth will feel refreshed.

FYI: Always avoid mouthwashes with high concentrations of alcohol.

* Brushing your teeth with baking soda helps prevent the growth of bacteria in your mouth. Adding a little peroxide will give an added benefit.

* Eat parsley after a meal. It has natural properties that freshen the breath. Many fine restaurants will place a piece of parsley on your plate; it’s not only for decoration!

* Cloves will help prevent sulfur producing bacteria that cause bad breath.

* Fresh mint will help alleviate a foul odor in the mouth.

As always, some remedies work better than others. Try them all and see which works best for you. I believe that you will be able to find a few that you can’t live without!

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.