|
A person suffering from bad breath is said to have
'halitosis'. It is derived from the latin word “halitus” which means
breath, and “osis” meaning any abnormal state or disorder.
Causing much social embarrassment for the person suffering from it as
well as to all the people in his or her vicinity, it is a problem
which should be addressed immediately and with diligence. In most
cases the person suffering might be unaware of the problem till it is
brought to his or her notice by a well wisher. If you are not sure
about your breath, don’t wait until you are embarrassed by the
reactions of the people around you. There are a couple of sure-fire
ways of ascertaining your breath status which does not involve a visit
to the dentist:
The Easy Ask Ask a loved one or a good friend for an honest opinion if
you are not someone who is easily embarrassed or offended. Your most
honest answer is likely to come from asking a child.
The Palm Test Cup your palm in front of your face. Close to, but not
touching, your mouth and nose. Blow into your palm and take a whiff of
what bounces off your palm. That'll be a fair indication of what your
breath smells like to others.
The Lick and spoon Test Lick your wrist, let it somewhat dry and smell
it. That’s what the front of your tongue smells like. To get a more
accurate gauge of the degree of your bad breath, use an inverted spoon
to scrape the back of your mouth, take it out and smell the whitish
residue, this is more accurately what your breath smells like to
others.
While good oral hygiene is an essential part of routine care, it might
not be enough in itself as there could be many other underlying
factors causing halitosis. |
|
In most cases bad breath is caused by anaerobic
bacteria breaking down protein at a very high rate and creating
halitosis compounds which are called VSC’s or Volatile Sulfur
Compounds scientifically. The ideal environment for anaerobic bacteria
is an environment with high acidity and reduced oxygen. The smell of
the Volatile Sulfur Compounds (VSC’s) is often referred to as a
“rotten egg” smell which is the most common bad breath smell. There
are other unpleasant odors caused by other bacterial wastes in the
mouth, some these are:
Cadaverine smells like a corpse.
Putrescine smells like decaying meat.
Skatole smell of human feceas.
Isovaleric Acid smell of sweaty feet. Some levels of these smelly
compounds are present in everyone’s breath. Halitosis or bad breath
occurs when the levels of any of these compounds are elevated.
Every underlying cause of halitosis has not currently been well
researched or understood as a treatable condition by the dental
community. A holistic approach to the condition is being increasingly
sought after by many keeping in mind the overall health of the body.
Addressing your bad breath problem and starting an effective treatment
plan will take you closer to increased confidence and self-esteem and
social stress reduction.
|
