Bad Breath Causes and Cure: Millions of Americans Suffer From Bad Breath

Did you know that millions of people in America alone suffer from bad breath or halitosis? Well if you didn’t know, then now you know. This means that the chance of walking into someone who has bad breath on the streets is always very high. This means that the chance of having friends and loved ones who suffer from bad breath is also very high. So you see that the problem of bad breath is a very common one.

In this article, we shall take a detailed look at some of the common causes of bad breath (halitosis) and we shall also take a look at some of the simple solutions to bad breath.

But before we begin looking at bad breath causes and solution, let us find out what bad breath is all about.

What is bad breath or halitosis?

Bad breath can also be called halitosis. Bad breath is defined as the condition in which very unpleasant or offensive odors is exhaled when breathing. Basically if your breath smells bad or offensive, then you are said to have bad breath.

According to researches, bad breath has been found to be the third most common reason why a person would need dental aid. A recent study revealed that millions of Americans are suffering from bad breath and over a billion people in the world also suffer from the problem of halitosis. This means bad breath or halitosis is a very big issue today. But interestingly, in as much as it is a very common problem affecting countless of people worldwide, not too many people feel comfortable talking about it. Well, what can I say…..it can be quite an embarrassing subject to talk about. But whether we like it or not, there is the dire need to hammer on this subject in order to make people aware of how it comes about and how it can be solved.

Without any further ado, let us now take a critical look at and find out more information on this so disturbing and embarrassing condition known as bad breath.

What are the causes of bad breath? What would make a person’s mouth to smell bad?

According to experts, over 80 percent of bad breath originates from the mouth.

Bad breath from the tongue

The tongue is the number one place that bad breath begins from. Studies have found out that there is a part of the tongue called the posterior dorsum, which is usually dry and undisturbed by the normal and numerous activities that go on in the mouth. Since this place is normally undisturbed, it is often poorly cleansed by most people. As a result of that it provides a breeding ground for odor-causing bacteria to grow and develop. Remnants of food deposit there and add to the odor-causing bacteria, making the situation even worse. The dryness of the place also contributes massively towards giving the place an offensive smell.

Bad breath from the mouth itself

According to scientists, there are over 600 types of bacteria that can be found in the average person’s mouth. Yes! This is totally true. Believe it or not, you, the reader have over 600 types of bacteria presently moving up and down in your mouth. According to scientists, a great deal of these bacteria found in a person’s mouth produce foul odors. In order to confirm this, scientists took samples of these bacteria into a laboratory and incubated them there for a while. The end result to this test was that the bacteria produced extremely high levels of foul odors.

Besides these bacteria, we can also have places like the back of our tongues contributing to the foul odor from the mouth. Also, locations in the mouth like areas between the teeth where food have the tendency of getting stuck and getting rotten can contribute massively towards the development of bad breath. We also have things such as faulty dental work and even unclean dentures that all contribute to the bad breath from the mouth.

Bad breath from the nose

According to doctors, the nose is the second most common source of bad breath. Bad breath from the nose occurs when the air that is exhaled through the nostrils is highly offensive. More often than not, bad breath from the nose is caused by a sinus infection or foreign bodies. This is a very common cause of bad breath for many people. I know people who say that they take their oral health very seriously and brush their teeth every morning and night religiously but yet suffer from bad breath. For this people, the cause of the bad breath is normally from their nose. A sinus infection is a very common cause of bad breath that comes from the nose.

Poor oral hygiene causes bad breath

This is an obvious cause of bad breath in many people. It happens to many people all over the world who fail to take oral hygiene seriously. When we fail to take proper care of our teeth and tongues, like brushing and flossing regularly, we are bound to get bad breath.

So if one has bad breath, then what are some of things he or she can do to remedy the situation?

Cure and Management of bad breath

Cleaning the tongue very well each time you brush your teeth

Now if the bad breath you are suffering from is originating from the tongue, then it goes without saying that we have to tackle the problem from there. Using things such as mints, chewing gums and mouthwash is not the solution to this. All what these things would do is temporarily mask the foul odor. If you really want to get rid of the foul odor created by the bacteria on the tongue then you have to be able to remove it from the source by using something as simple as a toothbrush, a tongue cleaner or a tongue scraper. Experts have suggested that gently cleaning the surface of the tongue twice daily with these instruments is a very effective way to keep away those odor creating bacteria and hence get rid of the bad breath. What the toothbrush and the tongue cleaners would do is to scrape off the bacteria, food debris and mucus from the tongue, leaving you with an extremely fresher breath. But always remember that when doing this, you should be mindful of your tongue and avoid damaging it. Always do it gradually. Never scrub or brush your tongue too vigorously.

Flossing is a good way to treat bad breath

When we eat food, particles of the food that we eat always get stuck between the gaps in our teeth. If these particles of food are left there for a long time, they rot and begin to give off foul odors. So in order to avoid this, it is imperative that we floss once or twice every day. When you take your time to floss very well, you get rid of majority of the particles of food and dead cells that get trapped between your teeth. When these particles are no longer trapped between your teeth, they can’t remain stagnant and rot and cause your mouth to give off offensive smell.

You can prevent bad breath by keeping the mouth moist all the time

We all know by now that when the mouth is dry, it accelerates bacterial buildup. A dry mouth provides a breeding ground for odor-creating bacteria and subsequently bad breath. This is why experts advice that we chew sugarless gum which helps in the production of saliva, thereby making the mouth wet or moist and hence reducing bad breath. When the mouth produces enough saliva, what the saliva does is it washes away a great deal of the bacteria in the mouth.

The above are just some of the most common things that you can do to prevent bad breath from embarrassing you in public or among your friends.

Basically adopting basic good oral hygiene practices like daily brushing and cleaning of the teeth and tongue. Doctors have advised that a periodic visit to the dentists is a very good way to prevent bad breath and keep our teeth and gums healthy. Also if you use dentures, they should be properly cleaned every day. Some experts even recommend soaking them overnight in an antibacterial solution so that all germs and bacteria in the dentures die.