Posts filed under 'Bad Breath Articles'
There are many factors that could be the causes of bad breath, and many of the factors that could be causes of bad breath can be dealt with quickly and easily using simple techniques. In fact the causes of bad breath are so well documented that it is easy to find the factors which are the cause of bad breath for you.
So what are the causes of bad breath exactly?
Bad breath, which is usually halitosis, is caused by VSCs (Volatile Sulphur Compounds) in the mouth, these are the most common of the causes of bad breath. But what are they, anyway?
Bacteria in your throat and mouth help to break down certain proteins. When some Amino acids which have a lot of Sulphur inside, start to get broken down and then produce various foul smelling compounds from the back of the mouth and throat.
There is a common misconception that bad breath can come from your stomach, and although it may feel like that sometimes, the smeel comes from the compounds produced your throat and mouth. Some foods however after they have been consumed encourage the production of certain chemicals that are then discharged via the lungs. So that extra helping of deep-fried onion rings is actually making a smell through your lungs.
So how can we avoid these great causes of bad breath?
Well many of the causes of bad breath are things that we take for granted and use everyday. Most toothpastes can be a cause of bad breath because the stuff that makes the foam actually promotes production of VSCs.
A dry tongue can also be a cause of bad breath. The bacteria that produce those nasty SVCs actually don’t like oxygen, so a dry mouth is perfect and hence becomes a cause of bad breath.
The nasty stuff from the bacteria comes from the breakdown of Amino acids, which are found in protein. So high protein foods can be a cause of bad breath, even a generally high protein diet could be one of the causes of bad breath.
Once you have elevated levels of the bacteria in your throat, it becomes very difficult to fight off the bad breath as those bacteria can use anything to be the next trigger for your bad breath. By successfully reducing the amount of bacteria in your throat you can make sure that it becomes that much more difficult to get the bad breath in the first place.
You literally zap the cause of bad breath at its source.
So one of the causes of bad breath are those things that allow the bacteria to produce more SVCs, so avoid or treat these and you will rid yourself of your cause of bad breath. Otherwise hit at the source and reduce those bacteria.
January 11th, 2008
Personal relationships, your professional career, all effected by bad breath. There are very few people who would come right out and tell you that you have bad breath, they will whisper behind your back, or like a high school bully, they will announce it to embarrass you. So what is the bad breath cause?
The Most Common Bad Breath Cause
The morning is the worst time for bad breath. A whole night of breathing through your mouth dries it out, encouraging those bacteria, then the onslaught begins. A big glass of milk with bacteria feeding protein. You fight back with a good brushing, but that’s only temporary. Then you notice the looks on people’s faces as you get up close and personal.
Your bad breath cause might just be situational. A few drinks to dry out your throat. A few cigarettes to add to the odor. A big cup of coffee to top things off.
Your bad breath might only come from time to time. If this is your bad breath cause then you can probably just cover it up with some breath mints, perhaps with a peppermint or two. But at times even these are not enough and you might have to take some more serious action.
Halitosis is the technical name for bad breath. It is characterized by a foul odor coming from your mouth and perhaps a slightly unpleasant taste in your mouth as a result of all the bacteria building up in there. What can you do? What is the bad breath cause?
The bacteria in your mouth, yes, you have them, are responsible for most of the more permanent cases of bad breath. There is usually something that causes them to multiply and spread. They feed off the little bits of food in your mouth and thrive when your mouth is dry, the perfect environment for them.
Now, here’s where to start.
Adjust your daily routine. It might seem obvious, but this is the first place to start for your bad breath cause. Brush your teeth three times a day. Brush very well, don’t rush it. When you are done brushing everywhere, floss between your teeth and get as far as between the gums and the teeth. Once every little bit has been dislodged, rinse your mouth out with mouthwash to give it a fresh smell and to help to fight off plaque and cavities.
Not all toothpaste is created equal, avoid anything with sulphides in it as these feed the bacteria and will make your breath even worse than before.
January 4th, 2008
Keeping bad breath at bay should be simple. Breath fresheners provide instant relief from a poor odor in the mouth, and although it may make you feel and smell better, there are methods to create more permanent freshness. A good deal of the causes of halitosis are just a bit of carelessness.
When away from home you might not always have a toothbrush and toothpaste on hand and if you’ve had a good helping of garlic and onions, well, you can imagine the result. Flossing, although probably the most inconvenient of the oral hygiene routine, removes little bits of foods that fuel putrid breath.
Many causes of halitosis are within your control. It is possible that you may forget to care for you mouth before you go to bed for the night, or that you don’t drink enough water. Bacteria make their home in little gaps between teeth and gums, and even in cavities where both toothbrush and dental floss have a hard time cleaning thoroughly. Brushing your teeth, flossing, rinsing with mouthwash and getting regular checkups can eliminate a good deal of the causes of halitosis.
Metabolic Causes of Halitosis
Diabetes is almost symptom free in its early stages. Surveys have shown that many people, in countries around the world, suffer from diabetes for years without even noticing that they have the condition. Ketones, which are highly odorous chemicals in your blood, are caused when your body starts to burn it fat as a source of energy, rather than burning carbohydrates. These ketones are released from the body through urine, sweat and the breath. These then become another of the possible causes of halitosis and cannot be effectively treated by a dentist, so you might be referred to a doctor. It is possible that there is a link between diabetes and bacterial infections, because high blood sugar predisposes people to immune deficiencies.
Basically any diet that forces you body to start to burn fat are causes of halitosis. Amongst these are fasting and high protein diets. These have their place and people usually have reasons for sticking to one of these diets. Fasting is often something personal. High protein diets are popular for losing excess fat and getting a slimmer body. With both of these, those ketones build up and are released through the breath, not ideal for keeping things fresh.
December 28th, 2007
It seems strange that you would need to cure bad breath from a high protein diet. Although weight loss and bad breath don’t have any association for most people it can definitely have an effect on your breath. If you are currently on a high protein diet then this will help to cure your bad breath from your high protein diet.
A high protein diet is just what it sounds like. By eating a lot of protein and less carbohydrates, your body is forced to use fat as a source of energy. This allows your body to use up its fat stores as energy.
Fat And Ketones
Although using up your fat sounds like a good idea, there are downsides to the process. One of these is excessive ketones. Ketone refers to molecules that are produced when fat is metabolised. Ketones are mostly used up by the body, but there is a particular kind of ketone that is not digested with all the rest.
Acetone
Unlike the ketones that are simply digested by your body, acetone has to find its way out through the urine or breath. It is possible to check the level of ketones and when you body is releasing large amounts of ketones then you are in ketosis. The ketones that are released through your breath have a distinctive and very unpleasant odor.
Seeing as a diet is not a medical condition, you have a certain degree of control over what happens. While you are still on the high protein diet there is a good chance you might still have bad breath caused by burning of fat.
Bad Breath vs Slimmer Body
If your bad breath is really intolerable you might consider stopping your high protein diet to avoid the bad breath. There is an alternative however which won’t mean losing your slimmer body, but might mean fresher breath. Keeping a balance in your diet can go a long way sorting things out and making sure that you maintain the 50/25/25 of correct eating you will keep the pounds off.
Herbal body mints are known to help produce a more pleasant odor from your body, and mint flavored mouth sprays can help to mask over any smells that are left over.
It is quite possible to cure bad breath from a high protein diet, and if these tips don’t help you out then you should consult your doctor to see if there is anything further that you can do.
December 21st, 2007
Modern medicine has allowed us to live longer, live healthier and treat many disorders that were, in years gone past, deadly. The productive life of the average human being is longer than ever before and we are living longer. But these great medicines often have side effects that we don’t expect. Several medications cause bad breath. One of the most notable is Norvasc.
What is Norvasc
Norvasc have quite a major impact on your breath, but it is an important medication. Norvasc is used to treat angina and high blood pressure which can both be quite serious if left untreated. If you are on this medication, do not stop taking the Norvasc to stop your bad breath. Norvasc has been proven to help with the two affliction mentioned before and there is a risk to stopping them without first consulting your physician. If you do discover that although using Norvasc, bad breath is more noticeable then you can take some steps that will help to ease the bad breath that is associated with it.
Treating Bad Breath From Norvasc and Other Medications
It is important that those suffering from bad breath because of taking Norvasc or other medications find a way to ease the bad breath side effect. There is no specific cure, but a combination of a few treatments will go a long way to stopping Norvasc bad breath.
The first thing, which applies to any bad breath case, not only bad breath from Norvasc or other medications is to make sure you have proper oral hygiene. You need to brush your teeth three time a day, just like mommy used to say, but you also need to floss at each brushing to get those last little pieces of food from between your teeth. If you are away from home during the day, take a toothbrush and toothpaste. If you need to use them at work, consider just keeping a set there and save yourself carrying them back and forth each day. Carrying a small bottle of mouthwash with you will help when your toothbrush and toothpaste are not on hand. Mints and gums will help too.
The primary reason that Norvasc gives you bad breath is because of how it dries out your mouth. Although hard to eliminate some basic tips will keep your mouth in good order. Drinking plenty of fluids will help to flush out your mouth and keep your mouth moist. Remember that citric juices like orange juice may taste great, but will leave your mouth drier than it was before, aggravating the bad breath. Your doctor might have advised you to not take in too many liquids if you have a heart condition, so check with them first. Gums and mints will help, but only if they are the sugar free kind, as the sugar also dries out your mouth.
December 14th, 2007
It’s pretty horrible to get into an intense conversation only to draw a little closer and be smacked in the face by their bad breath. You might even start to feel nauseous to keep going with the conversation, and chances are that they will notice how the expression on your face has changed.
Imagine if you were the one with the bad breath.
The awful smell filling the air with every outward breath can make the other person very aware that you have a very serious case of bad breath. Strangers might not just tell you straight away that you have bad breath, but it is important to find out just how bad the smell is, because we are very poor judges of our own breath. Get a family member or a close friend to “test” your breath for you and give you an honest opinion of how fresh it is.
First Things First
Acknowledging you have bad breath is a fantastic first step, as many people have bad breath and don’t know it, others don’t tell them so they just keep on casting these poor first impression when they meet people. Here are the basic tips. Brush your teeth after every meal. Floss between your teeth and the gap between your teeth and gums. Scrape your tongue.
Just general oral hygiene is the first line of defense against a serious case of bad breath.
Tell Others
Here’s the catch.
While you would want other people to tell you that you have bad breath, how many do you think will really tell you? Telling someone else in a gently way will start them on the way to getting their fresh breath back. If there is any particular method that has worked for you then tell them about it. There are many products on the market and some of them are better than others.
Offer someone a piece of gum and gently tell them that they probably need to something about their breath. Although they might not like you for saying it you are doing them a favor and helping them out.
December 7th, 2007
Methamphetamine, or Meth as it is more commonly known is a highly addictive drug which stimulates the central nervous system, giving users a sense of euphoria and causing excitement.
Signs That Your Child Could Be Taking Methamphetamines
One of the most common signs of this is methamphetamine cause bad breath. There is a chemical smell associated with it that can be quite foul. Regular brushing and good oral hygiene only help to reduce the signs, but cannot make the smell of methamphetamine cause bad breath to go away. Dilation of the pupils is another one of the signs of methamphetamine use.
There are other signs besides methamphetamine cause bad breath such as unexplained nosebleeds and the nose becoming very dry. Along with this can come cracked or bleeding lips. There may be other nasal or sinus symptoms as the drug is often snorted.
The regular use of methamphetamines reduces appetite to a point where it can almost appear to be anorexia. Anxiousness, nervousness and aggression, as well as insomnia are very common too. Chattering incessantly is another sign. Finally, most methamphetamine users will show signs of hyperactivity.
When using amphetamines cause bad breath, mouthwashes, breath sprays, lozenges and other breath fresheners will have little to no effect on the underlying cause of methamphetamine bad breath. Although attempts to mask these signs will be made, being attentive to your child’s behavior can alert you to any problems so that you can take steps to help them stop it before it becomes a major problem.
Other Effects
Although methamphetamine cause bad breath, the long term effects are much more serious. Amongst the longer term effects of using methamphtamines are higher blood pressure and increased heart rate and damage to the blood vessels to your brain, possible leading to a stroke or death. These are the most serious effects for those using methamphetamines.
There is a chance that you may experience psychotic symptoms for a long time after you have stopped using methamphetamines. This drug is highly addictive and methamphetamine cause bad breath is one of the first signs. Ask your teen questions, especially if they are exhibiting signs of drug use. Once they have become addicted the road to recovery is long and hard, but surely the better of the two routes.
November 30th, 2007
Bad breath may be the subject of many jokes, but halitosis is not only quite embarrassing, but can also point to other problems in the human body too. If you suffer from halitosis you may need to discover what is causing it and get appropriate treatment. Ignoring the problem does not help and things will either stay the same or get worse.
General Oral Care
Many believe that halitosis, more commonly referred to as bad breath is caused by lack of attention to general oral care, and in fact this is sometimes the case. Brushing your teeth three times a day, followed by a good flossing and then a rinse with mouthwash, not only helps to keep the bad odors away, but also curbs other problems too. If you compare your mouth to the rest of your body, imagine if you didn’t wash for a while, neither you nor others would be too happy with the outcome. Your mouth becomes smellier much quicker than that and needs regular care.
Oral Infections And Tooth Decay
Oral infections and tooth decay are a common cause of oral infections. Even perfect oral hygiene doesn’t prevent cases of tooth decay. Get your regular checkup with your dentist to make sure that there are no signs of tooth decay and any problems in your mouth are taken care of. If your breath is extremely serious they might recommend that you go and see a doctor to see if some other factor could be causing an ongoing problem with halitosis.
Medical Causes Of Halitosis
Halitosis can be caused by a number of medical conditions. It could often be something as simple as your diet or it could be something a little more severe. If changes to all outside factors don’t make a big difference to a major case of halitosis then it would be wise to find a doctor to check for other factors. A doctor would be able to perform some tests that should rule out some possible causes of halitosis.
Medication can have halitosis as a side effect. If this is the case, the doctor would probably know of the side effects and can offer you some suggestions for getting the situation under control. Doctors know that bad breath is not exclusively a matter of bad hygiene and should try to help you. It will be a great relief for you and those who you have regular contact with to solve this problem for good.
November 23rd, 2007
Having chronic bad breath is a serious problem. Although most people experience bad breath from time to time, perhaps after a garlic or onion filled meal, people who suffer form chronic bad breath can’t get rid of the smell. All the brushing, flossing and mints do little to curb chronic bad breath.
This can cause problems in relationships when you notice people trying to avoid smelling your breath. At the worst you might even notice how some people don’t even come close to you anymore if it’s potent enough. There is hope for you and we’ll outline some of the things you can do to help curb your chronic bad breath.
What’s That Taste?
Bad breath in itself does not always come without his little friends. One complaint of people with chronic bad breath is a bad taste in their mouth. They can actually taste the decay of the food that might be left in their mouth or the bacteria that are thriving in little cavities. You need to make sure you remove as much of the little stench creators as you can by making sure that your brushing is thorough, followed by flossing and finally a rinse with mouthwash. Don’t forget to gently brush your tongue from the back to the front, or invest in a tongue scraper for the job.
A Mint?
Someone offering you a breath mint should always be viewed with suspicion. Actually you should take it as a warning sign. Some one who needs to talk with you a lot may have taken matters into their own hands to offer you a mint to cover you really bad breath. If you do get people offering you mints on a regular basis then you should definitely ask a friend or someone close to you to tell you honestly if your breath is foul.
Not Too Close Buddy
Perhaps, instead of offering you a little freshener, people draw back from you or look like they are trying to not get too close, then you case of chronic bad breath might be getting a little too much for them to bear. Finding a cure for your bad breath or just finding some way of dealing with your bad breath might help.
White or Yellow Tongue
When those bacteria start to multiple they can give your tongue a funny color. Usually you tongue should be a pinkish color, and that’s normal. When your bad breath is getting a little out of control you will find that your tongue becomes white or yellow.
The most immediate solution to this is to use a tongue scraper to literally move the bacteria off your tongue. This may be the most direct method, but it will probably not keep the condition at bay for very long.
A little time spent in brushing your teeth for a little longer, usually 2 - 3 minutes will help. Flossing so that you clean out all the little bits of food does some good too. Make sure you gently scrape your tongue to remove all the obvious bacteria that are already in your mouth.
November 16th, 2007
If you’ve determined that you have a problem, what bad breath cures are available to help with your halitosis? While this depends on the exact cause of your bad breath, generally bad breath cures involve the following advice.
Bad breath is associated with a dry mouth, so one of the bad breath cures is to take steps to not have such a dry mouth, which can reduce the smell.
- Make sure that you drink sufficient quantities of water so that you’re not generally dehydrated. This is one of the most common bad breath cures.
- Eat at regular times, as skipped meals can reduce saliva and dry the mouth.
- Chew on special sugar-free gum, to cause salivation.
- Don’t drink excessive alcohol as that dries the mouth.
- Do not smoke. This dries the mouth, and is also bad for a number of other well known reasons.
Bad breath also has a component that comes from lack of hygiene.
- Make sure that you brush your teeth regularly, especially after meals, and be sure to be thorough and remove all the food particles.
- While you’re brushing your teeth, brush also the roof of your mouth and your tongue, using regular toothpaste, as this will help to clean adverse compounds.
- You should also floss between the teeth at least once a day, to dislodge any entrapped particles.
What you eat can cause troubles for various reasons.
- Avoid too much meat and protein, as the protein is fuel for the bacteria which cause bad breath.
- Eat a low-fat diet rich in fruits and vegetables.
- Avoid particulary smelly foods, such as garlic and onions. These are ingested, and the blood picks up the smell, which transfers to the lungs and is blown out.
Visit your dentist to discuss the matter. Bad breath may be caused by dental problems, including gum disease (periodontal disease), and your dentist will be able to advise, and may save you more pain and expense in the long run. While at the dentist, a regular checkup and cleaning will dig out the stubborn food particles that your brushing and flossing have missed, and give a good starting point for keeping your mouth extra clean.
You can use a mouthwash for temporary relief of the bad breath smell, but its one of the temporary bad breath cures. Be aware, however, that many mouthwashes have alcohol content, which is detrimental, and negates most bad breath cures associated with them. If you seek temporary relief by sucking a breath mint, like Altoids, you should also note that the high sugar content is a disadvantage, not lending itself to bad breath cures.
There are many bad breath cures, but getting professional treatment can be one of the best bad breath cures for extreme cases.
November 9th, 2007
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