Halitosis

halitosis

The most frequent question a health professional asked face is the problem, I have bad breath, what should I do? Here is the complete information.

Bad breath affects 25% of the world's population. Although there are many root causes for the problem, most of the time it starts from our mouths.

Facts about bad breath (halitosis), Bad breath affects 1 in 4 people

Most of the root cause is not keeping our teeth and mouth clean (oral hygiene) well.

- The food we eat stays in our mouth and is broken down into a substance called sulfur by bacteria, which causes bad breath.

- The main treatment we can do at home is to clean our teeth, floss, and drink enough water.

What is halitosis?

Bad breath is a very common and low self-esteem condition. It has many root causes and solutions too. Anyone can experience bad breath. It happens to 1 in 4 people. It is the 3rd most common reason to go to the dentist. Next to tooth decay and gum problems

Some things that we can do at home, such as cleaning our teeth and mouth, and stopping smoking and vaping can stop the problem completely, but if not, we need to go to the dentist.

The treatment

- The main treatment for bad breath is to develop good oral hygiene. It also helps prevent tooth decay and gum damage.

- Do a dental check-up once a year if possible

- Your dentist may prescribe anti-bacterial mouthwashes and recommend brushing your teeth.

main causes of halitosis

- Cigarette

- Food: The food we eat can stick to our teeth and cause bad breath. Especially red and garlic, even after they are crushed, it can pass through our bloodstream and reach our lungs when we breathe.

- Dry mouth: Our saliva naturally washes our mouth. But if our mouth is dry, bad breath occurs.

- The habit of cleaning our teeth and mouth: when we brush and floss our teeth, the food in our mouth is cleaned and comes out, but if it does not come out, it is divided by bacteria and causes the problem to occur.

- Not eating at mealtimes: Fasting and eating carbohydrate-rich foods can cause bad breath because our body produces chemicals called ketones when it uses up its accumulated compounds, which causes a strong odor.

- Medicines: Some medicines make our mouth dry and others produce their own odor when broken down

-Mouth, nose, and throat problems: Sometimes tiny bacteria are found behind our tonsils like stones, creating a bad smell. Also, nose throat, or sinus infections and inflammation can cause bad breath.

-Internal diseases: Some cancers, liver failure, and other diseases related to digestion can cause bad breath because of the chemicals they produce. Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease (GERD) can also be caused by leaking stomach acid.

One of the basic reasons

Most of the root cause of bad breath is poor oral hygiene, but there may be other root causes.

1- Ketoacidosis: When a person with diabetes has low insulin, their body stops using sugar and uses stored fat. When fat is broken down, ketones are produced, which in excess can cause bad breath and can be life-threatening.

2- Bowl obstruction (intestinal obstruction): Their breath may sound like stool, especially if there is frequent vomiting and intestinal obstruction.

3- Bronchiectasis (bronchitis): If our airways are infected for a long time, they can expand and accumulate mucus, causing bad breath.

Signs

The cause of bad breath varies. It's best to ask a friend or loved one to be sure because it's hard to find out.

if no one is around, we breathe well into our hands and wait for them to dry.

Some people, however, feel that they have bad breath without any bad breath, which is called halitophobia, which causes them to brush their teeth excessively.

What should we do at home?

1- Brushing our teeth: Brushing our teeth properly for 2 minutes at least 2 times a day.

2- Flossing: Flossing removes the food and plaque that accumulates between our teeth. Brushing cleans about 60% of our teeth.

3- Daily cleaning if we have dentures, dentures, mouth guards, and retainers.

4- Changing our toothbrush every 3 months

5- Using a soft toothbrush

6- Cleaning our tongue: Clean our tongue with a non-soap brush while breathing through our nose. If we find a cleaning agent prepared for it, it is necessary to clean the tongue well, especially for people who smoke cigarettes, smoke khat, and have dry mouths.

7- Keeping our mouth from drying out: Drinking water properly. Avoid alcohol, cigarettes, and khat because they cause dry mouth. Chewing gum is also recommended as it aids in saliva production, so sugar-free is recommended if available.

8- Diet: Avoid red onions, garlic, and spicy foods. Sweet foods are also associated with bad breath. Cut down on coffee and alcohol. Eating solid food at breakfast helps to clean the back of our tongue.

Examination

Most of the time, a patient who comes to us with bad breath can be diagnosed by sniffing and sniffing the back of the tongue. In addition, there are other complex investigations.

A dentist will find the root cause of bad breath. There will be a solution.

In most cases, if we follow the above points after bad breath occurs, it will disappear at home, otherwise, it is necessary to consult a dentist.