Bad breath is a very common condition among all populations both rural and urban dwellers and it causes a lot of social embarrassment among many.
Friendships, relationships and even marriages are broken due to this condition.
It is estimated that 1 in every 4 people have some form of bad breath. ie. 25% of the world population.
Bad breath is a condition in which there is an unpleasant, unfriendly and repulsive odor from the breath of an individual.
In medical terms it is called :Halitosis or Fetor Oris
This condition could be treated easily at home or it may require medical attention. Let’s see it’s causes
Causes of bad breath
1 Food – As we chew food whilst eating and/or drinking particles of these food substances return in the mouth. This when it stays more than 4 hours begins to give scent that reflect in the breath.
Besides the particles of food getting rotten and providing bad breath. Presence of food particles in between the teeth or tongue causes bacteria to act on them causing inflammation of the gums and result in stench
This inflammation the dentists or science people called: Periodontitis
This is why when you eat meat or any food that sticks in your teeth, you wake next morning and feel a burning sensation or pain in the gums.
Now to my raw garlic or onion lovers. ( forgive me today)
Garlic and onions contain Sulphur compounds that give them their distinctive flavor.
They also release distinctive gasses when cut or mashed, and mingle with gas-emitting bacteria in the mouth, causing a certain scented breath.
Food is one of the common causes of bad breath especially spicy foods
2. Bacteria- Some time ago our facts Wednesday man told us that the oral cavity several bacteria.
Some of these bacteria causes infections such us sinusitis , gingivitis etc that could affect breath smell
3. Gum diseases also form a group of underlying diseases that affect the smell and make it awful.
examples include- periodontal caries or tooth decay and the most recent one tooth crack
4. Smoking – Tobacco inhibits the saliva protection of gums exposing them to gum diseases that ultimately affects breath smell
5. Plague- Persistent poor oral care leads to deposits of particles on the tooth and gums forming hard most often yellowish substances that give off bad breath
6. Dry mouth for longer periods can cause bad breaths .This is called: xerostomia
Saliva clean gums and control the internal environment of the mouth and keep it fresh. When it’s dried for longer periods this function is reduced resulting in bad breath
This is even if you are not thirsty for water, keep your mouth wet
The mischievous thing about bad breath is; you may not know you have it
Some try to cover their nose with Bose hands and breath out and smell it.
In addition to this: You can simply lick the wrist of your hand and leave it to dry. Then you smell, if you have bad breath it will show or let a significant other smell your breath for you.
Treatment and prevention of bad breath
1. Brushing of teeth- This is one of the things of Life that is simple but it eludes many people because it has to do with habit
Brushing of teeth- with a clean sponge or a tooth brush or a chewing stick at least twice a day. Most importantly after eating a meal in the day or before going to bed
This helps to keep bacteria,food particles and plagues from your gums helping to prevent bad breath.
2. Flossing- This often follows brushing however it has it main importance and must be done well
Flossing enables all particles hidden behind the teeth or in-between them to dislodged out.
It is recommended that when you brush once,floss and then wash off and then apply the paste gently for the second time especially during evening brushing so it remain in the gums over night
Brush teeth and tongue first,floss and then reapply paste
For the toothpaste most of those in out Ghanaian markets such as Colgate,pepsodent, close-up etc are standard
3. Avoiding dry mouth- Like I stated in the causes of bad breath- keeping the mouth moist enables the saliva to cleans and control bacterial actions keeping the mouth fresh.
So when attending or mixing with others for longer periods take sips of water when your mouth is getting dry.
Otherwise you could go about embarrassing yourself without knowing
4. Quitting smoking- Tobacco has it its own scent that can make your breath as well as it’s presence on the teeth increases your chances of gum diseases
5. Diet- Eat less fat diets prevents bad breath from indigestion or dyspepsia. When fats are broken down they yield in aromatic hydrocarbons some if which affects breath smell
Also eating raw garlic and onion especially when about sleeping at night could result in bad breaths. For day time persistent communication could lesson the impact of the smell
Quick one on medical Treatment
If you have bad breath and has tried home base treatments but it is not yielding
1. Visit a dentist or dental clinic- for proper investigation. They do cleaning of plagues, tooth extraction and if the bad breath is a bacterial infections you are given antibiotics to cure it
It is good that as we previously discussed on routine medical checkup- Visit a dentist twice a year.
Bath breath could also be as a result of systemic condition that may require professional assistance to deal with.
Quick summary.
Bad breath also called Halitosis or Fetor Oris
most common cause is food particles stain in the mouth and poor oral
Way out
1. Brush teeth once, floss and then brush leaving the toothpaste on the gums till next morning.
2. Avoid raw garlic or onion
3. Visit a dentist twice a year for routine and if you have bad breath for proper treatment
Thank you
Joy Carl-Grant Cornelius Pogdong [Home Radio Health Update]
