How to Deal With Mouth Odour

Most of us have had the odd bad breath day. If we are lucky, our beloved ones have gently pointed this fact out before we meet the wider world. Yet persistent halitosis can lead to significant social embarrassment.

What makes breath smell?
Breath smell only when certain aromatic chemicals dissolve within it. Unfortunately, many of these chemicals are regularly produced when proteins from food are broken down by bacteria in the mouth. Examples are: methyl mercaptan (colourless gas found in found in foods like nuts and cheese; smells like rotten cabbage); putrescine (gas produced when the body breaks down amino acids in food; smells of decaying meat);  hydrogen sulphide (gas produced by bacteria in the colon and when the body breaksdown amino acids in food; smells like rotten eggs).

These chemicals can be absorbed into your bloodstream from the bowel and then circulated around the body until they are excreted via the lungs in the breath. In this way, garlic rubbed into the soul of your feet can later be detected in trace amount in your breath.

Morning Breath
Practically everybody have a degree of halitosis first thing in the morning. when we sleep, saliva flow drastically reduces while our tongue and cheek moves very little. this allows food residues to stagnate in the mouth and dead cells  that would normally be shed from the surface of our tongue, gums and the inside of our cheeks to accumulate. As bacteria in our mouth start to work on and breakdown these residues, they generate an unpleasant smell. Although normal, anyone with nasal congestion who mouth-breathes at night is more likely to be affacted. Morning breath usually disappears after breakfast and daily brushing, because saliva starts to flow again and any leftover residues are washed away and swallowed.

Occasional bad breath
The most common causes of occasional halitosis include smoking cigarettes or cigars, drinking alcohol or eating certain foods. Culprits that are often to blame include onions, garlic, curries, cured foods like salami and cooked foods like kippers. Smoking also reduces the flow of saliva in its own right and so worsens bad breath.

Crash dieting or fasting can also lead to halitosis. when the body no longer have the supply of carbohydrates, i first breaks down its own fat stores. The waste products of their metabolism, known as ketones, give breath of anyone who has vigorously exercised but who have not eaten enough carbohydrates before or after their workout. People on strict high-protein diets experience the same effect for similar reasons.

What are  the medical causes of bad breath?
Most reasons for bad breath are sited in the mouth. Gum disease is the most common reason for bad breath and is caused by plaque. Plaque is a mixture of food residues, dead gum cells and bacteria that forms between the gum and the tooth. The bacteria creates an unpleasant odour and contributes to bleeding gum and loosening of teeth. The cause of gum disease is often bad oral hygiene. if you do not regularly brush your teeth, you will experience bad breath. A coated, furry tongue is often a sign of indigestion, smoking or dehydration all of which can make breath smell.

Any infection around the mouth and throat might be significant. Nasal congestion, sinus infections, tonsillitis and swollen adenoids could all contribute. So could indigestion caused by acid reflux from a hiatus hernia. Even lung disorders such as chronic bronchitis and bronchiectasis (where infected sputum is present) may play a part). Consider, too, any medication you might be taking. Any drug that dries up saliva as a side effect, such as amitriptyline (an antidepressant), may add to the problem.

How to know if you have bad breath
Here are some useful pointers, so you do not have to rely on others telling you.

• Lick the inner surface of your wrist, wait a few seconds and sniff the licked area. Is there any odour?
• Do you smoke at times other than meal times when the odour is dilutedby food, drink and saliva?
• Do your gum look swollen or puffyor do they bleed when you brush them?
• Does yourdentist or hygienist comment on your gum disease (gingivitis) and suggest more efficient brushing and flossing?

Remedies

• Start with the dentist and hygienist,  because the root of the problem is usually dental.
• Proper brushing techniques and regular flossing can work wonders.
• Brushing a furry tongue with a tongue cleaner is helpful.
• Avoid smoking, alcohol and spicy foods.
• Clean your mouth aftereating milk products, fish and meat.
• Chewing sugar-free gums helps because it encourages the flowof saliva without contributing to tooth decay.
• Use a mouthwash to getrid of bacteria and bits of food that you may have missed while brushing.
• Deodorising mouth sprays can mask halitosis in the short term, but you need antibacterial and antiseptic preparations with a longer duration of action to make a lasting difference.

Your dentist can advise you on what is appropriate.

When mouth infections are implicated as the cause of bad breath, treatment with an antibiotic such as metronidazole can be effective in getting rid of bacteria that do not need oxygen to survive(anaerobic bacteria), and thereby improves symptoms.

When indigestion or acid reflux are implicated as the cause of bad breath, treatment to eradicate a type of bacteria called Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori for short)may be effective in improving symptoms.

Before you have the antibiotics, you should be tested to see whether you have the bacteria.  There are several ways of testing for H. pylori: it could be a breath test or it could be a test that is done on a blood sample or a stool sample;  your doctor will be able to explain what is involved.