Bad Breath, Halitosis, Periodontal Disease, Gum Disease Articles and News

Bad Breath is Halitosis

Bad Breath occurs as the normal bacteria of the mouth are allowed to grow from the residual food in the mouth. It is caused by medical problems only 10% of the time. Bad breath is a human trait we all share. It is very embarrassing to talk about.

Bad breath is caused by certain bacteria that bind protein particles on their surface, eat or metabolize the protein particles and produce sulfur gases. It is caused by bacteria, which are anaerobic in nature (not needing oxygen) and these produce sulfur.

tongue dirty image

Bad breath, generally arises in the buccal cavity. It is Not Your Typical Oral Hygiene Problem. As many of you know personally, you can brush and floss perfectly six to seven times daily and STILL HAVE THIS PROBLEM.

It is definitely common, but if brushing and flossing, mouth washes and mints don't make a dent in your stinky breath, this problem shouldn't be shrugged off. Bad breath is no laughing matter, and since time immemorial, man has sought different treatments for it.

Bad breath normally strikes when people aren't correctly taking care of their oral health. It can generally be eradicated with proper dental hygiene. It often happens after eating strongly flavoured foods, such as onions and garlic.

It can stem from various medical problems like dry mouth and even Atkins diet.

It potentially affects everyone, and the consequences can be devastating on one's social, personal and professional life.

Bad breath is a common complaint, yet with no universally accepted "gold standard" of diagnosis, it is impossible to estimate the percentage of the population with "bad" breath.

It may result from a number of factors, such as: inadequate oral hygiene (improper brushing and non-use of dental floss), gingival disease, the consumption of certain foods such as onions or garlic, tobacco and alcohol, dry mouth (caused by certain medications, medical disorders and reduced saliva flow while sleeping hence the "morning breath"), general diseases such as cancer, diabetes, metabolic diseases, infections of the air passages, liver and kidney malfunctions.

Bad breath or halitosis is also responsible for a significant amount of fear and insecurity in social interactions, as it can be difficult to know if your own breath is offensive.

Be sure to sort out any bad breath problems that you may experience as this will boost your confidence and also remember the saying... "Cleanliness is Godliness"