HOW TO AVOID BAD BREATH
QI am a 25-year-old man and have the problem of bad breath from almost a decade. I consulted few specialist gastroenterologist, dentist, physician and have undergone few diagnostics test like HBT, endoscopy, colonoscopy, ultra sound abdomen, and various types of blood test, but all reports are normal. It is becoming difficult for me to socialise. Is there any permanent solution for it?
AAlmost all bad breath odours are caused by anaerobic bacteria living in the back of the tongue, throat and tonsils, which break down the proteins in our food as part of their daily job. However, when someone isn’t healthy, it can be harder for these bacteria to break down these proteins, leaving particular chemical smells behind.
CAUSES: Most bad breath starts in your mouth, and there are many possible causes. They include:
Food: The breakdown of food particles in and around your teeth can increase bacteria and cause a foul odour. Eating certain foods, such as onions, garlic and spices, also can cause bad breath. TOBACCO PRODUCTS: Smoking causes an unpleasant mouth odour. Smokers and oral tobacco users are also more likely to have gum disease, another source of bad breath. POOR DENTAL HYGIENE: If you don’t brush and floss daily, food particles remain in your mouth, causing bad breath. A colourless, sticky film of bacteria (plaque) forms on your teeth. If not brushed away, plaque can irritate your gums and eventually form plaque-filled pockets between your teeth and gums (periodontitis).
DRY MOUTH: Saliva helps cleanse your mouth, removing particles that cause bad odour. A condition called dry mouth or xerostomia (zeer–o-STOE-meuh) can contribute to bad breath because production of saliva is decreased.
MOUTH INFECTIONS: Bad breath can be caused by surgical wounds after oral surgery, such as tooth removal, or as a result of tooth decay, gum disease or mouth sores.
MEDICATIONS: Some medications can indirectly produce bad breath by contributing to dry mouth. Others can be broken down in the body to release chemicals that can be carried on your breath.
OTHER CONDITIONS: Some diseases, such as cancer, and conditions such as metabolic disorders, can cause a distinctive breath odor as a result of chemicals they produce. DIAGNOSIS: Your dentist will likely smell both the breath from your mouth and the breath from your nose and rate the odor on a scale. Because the back of the tongue is most often the source of the smell, your dentist may also scrape it and rate its odor. There are sophisticated detectors that can identify the chemicals responsible for bad breath, though these aren’t always available.
TREATMENT: Treatment for bad breath can vary, depending on the cause. If your bad breath is thought to be caused by an underlying health condition, your dentist will likely refer you to your primary care provider. For causes related to oral health, your dentist will work with you to help you better control that condition.