If you've ever been around someone with reallllllly bad breath, you know how disgusting it can be.
But let's face it. Practically everyone has bad breath -- some only occasionally, others all the time.
Halitosis, another name for bad breath, can flare up from many causes: medical problems (like sinus conditions and diabetes), dry mouth (brought on by smoking, drinking alcohol or taking certain medications), smelly food (like garlic), and rare situations in your mouth, such as tonsillolith (stinky balls of hardened plaque that form on your tonsils).
The predominant cause of bad breath, however, is the gaseous wastes of bacteria that live in our mouth.
For those with chronic bad breath, that is, bad breath that persists 24/7, overcoming it can be a real challenge.
Although there are devices to detect the intensity of bad breath in a person, Clifford Whall, Director of the American Dental Association's Seal of Acceptance program, says the primary reference is the human nose.
Whall says, "You know it when you smell it."
According to estimates, nearly all adults have at least "morning breath," with about half of those suffering from a severe, chronic problem.
Bad breath means big bucks for companies that claim to sweeten your breath. In fact, the market research firm Euro Monitor International claims that Americans spent $6.7 billion on mouth-freshening products in 2007.
It's sad, but true, but most of these products work only for a few minutes. Some brand name products even claim to kill germs -- which they do -- but that doesn't mean they actually freshen your breath.
The problem is that many of these products contain ingredients that can make our halitosis even worse.
Fortunately, there are a few products powerful enough to freshen your breath longer. You can find out about them in No More Bad Breath, an e-book that covers the multiple causes of halitosis and presents the best, medically-proven products to cure it.
Click here to get your own copy and learn today what's medically proven to sweeten your breath.
Until next time, ciao!
Saturday, March 21, 2009
Wednesday, March 18, 2009
Weak Economy May Contribute To Bad Breath
If you read my headline about our weak economy causing more bad breath you're probably wondering -- "What's this guy smokin'?"
Well, this is just a theory of mine, but it may have merit. Follow along and see if you agree with my thinking.
On Jan. 9, 2009, Reuters News reported that Americans may begin cutting the amount of money they spend on food in light of the current economic downturn. So, when money gets harder to come by, people will leave off more expensive foods such as fresh fruits and vegetables and, instead, opt for cheaper "junk" foods high in saturated fats and sugars.
This may, indeed, be happening. After all, consider that Whole Foods (which sells organic, natural and gourmet foods) has seen profits drop with the economy.
Now as more Americans start eating food that's not good for them, bad breath may start to rise.
Here's why: The bacteria in our mouths, the main cause of bad breath, like to feed on sugar. Naturally, if we start consuming more food high in sugar, guess what? The bad breath bacteria start to propogate and voila -- more bad breath is expelled.
Another thing, fresh fruits and vegetables, especially the crunchy kinds like apples, carrots, celery, and so on, help scrub our teeth of plaque and bacteria that can lead to bad breath. If we eat less of these foods, we could be leaving more plaque and bacteria on our teeth.
Eating correctly should be the LAST thing you cut out of your budget. For more detailed information about food and how it can either reduce or increase bad breath, click on this link.
Catch you later...
Well, this is just a theory of mine, but it may have merit. Follow along and see if you agree with my thinking.
On Jan. 9, 2009, Reuters News reported that Americans may begin cutting the amount of money they spend on food in light of the current economic downturn. So, when money gets harder to come by, people will leave off more expensive foods such as fresh fruits and vegetables and, instead, opt for cheaper "junk" foods high in saturated fats and sugars.
This may, indeed, be happening. After all, consider that Whole Foods (which sells organic, natural and gourmet foods) has seen profits drop with the economy.
Now as more Americans start eating food that's not good for them, bad breath may start to rise.
Here's why: The bacteria in our mouths, the main cause of bad breath, like to feed on sugar. Naturally, if we start consuming more food high in sugar, guess what? The bad breath bacteria start to propogate and voila -- more bad breath is expelled.
Another thing, fresh fruits and vegetables, especially the crunchy kinds like apples, carrots, celery, and so on, help scrub our teeth of plaque and bacteria that can lead to bad breath. If we eat less of these foods, we could be leaving more plaque and bacteria on our teeth.
Eating correctly should be the LAST thing you cut out of your budget. For more detailed information about food and how it can either reduce or increase bad breath, click on this link.
Catch you later...
Saturday, March 14, 2009
Gum Disease Can Cause Bad Breath
I just returned from a "spring break" vacation in Santa Monica, Calif., a lovely town just west of L.A. that overlooks the Pacific.
One of the things I noticed was that so many people there looked trim and fit. Hundreds, perhaps thousands, of people walk, run, bike, and rollerblade on the paved roadway along the beach every day. Still more are seen running through the city streets, hiking up mountains, or running up what my son calls "the stairs," a flight of nearly 300 steps running up the side of a steep hill on the north side of the city.
Now what does this have to do with gum disease and bad breath?
Not much, really, except that I want to point out that regardless of whether or not you are in poor or excellent physical condition, chances are good you may have gum disease and, consequently, bad breath.
In fact, research shows that about one in three American adults aged 30 to 54 has some form of periodontitis, commonly known as gum disease.
Basically, gum disease is a bacterial gum infection that attacks and destroys your gums and supporting bone that hold your teeth in your mouth. You can have one or more teeth affected by gum disease.
The major cause of gum disease is bacterial plaque -- a sticky, colorless film that constantly forms on your teeth. If you don't remove the plaque, it can turn into a hard substance called tartar in less than 48 hours.
When tartar occurs you can only have it removed by a dentist or dental hygienist. This is why daily brushing is so important.
Plaque contains bacteria that infects the gums, releasing poisons that cause redness and irritation. It's the combination of inflammation (irritation) and the poisons that destroy the gum tissue supporting your teeth, including the bone.
When this occurs, the gums separate microscopically from the teeth and form pockets that fill with even more plaque, which in turn causes even more infection.
What are the signs or common symptoms of gum disease?
The include:
Red, swollen or tender gums
gums pulling away from the teeth, making teeth appear longer
loose or separating teeth
pus between the gum and tooth
bleeding while brushing or flossing
persistent bad breath
a change in the way your teeth fit together when you bite
a change in the fit of partial dentures.
The best way to avoid gum disease -- and one of the causes of bad breath -- is to faithfully brush and floss your teeth every day. Also, regular visits to a dentist can help provide a more thorough cleaning.
That's it for now. Talk to you later... Meanwhile, if you'd care to make a comment or share a story involving your dental health and bad breath, please do so. Thanks.
One of the things I noticed was that so many people there looked trim and fit. Hundreds, perhaps thousands, of people walk, run, bike, and rollerblade on the paved roadway along the beach every day. Still more are seen running through the city streets, hiking up mountains, or running up what my son calls "the stairs," a flight of nearly 300 steps running up the side of a steep hill on the north side of the city.
Now what does this have to do with gum disease and bad breath?
Not much, really, except that I want to point out that regardless of whether or not you are in poor or excellent physical condition, chances are good you may have gum disease and, consequently, bad breath.
In fact, research shows that about one in three American adults aged 30 to 54 has some form of periodontitis, commonly known as gum disease.
Basically, gum disease is a bacterial gum infection that attacks and destroys your gums and supporting bone that hold your teeth in your mouth. You can have one or more teeth affected by gum disease.
The major cause of gum disease is bacterial plaque -- a sticky, colorless film that constantly forms on your teeth. If you don't remove the plaque, it can turn into a hard substance called tartar in less than 48 hours.
When tartar occurs you can only have it removed by a dentist or dental hygienist. This is why daily brushing is so important.
Plaque contains bacteria that infects the gums, releasing poisons that cause redness and irritation. It's the combination of inflammation (irritation) and the poisons that destroy the gum tissue supporting your teeth, including the bone.
When this occurs, the gums separate microscopically from the teeth and form pockets that fill with even more plaque, which in turn causes even more infection.
What are the signs or common symptoms of gum disease?
The include:
Red, swollen or tender gums
gums pulling away from the teeth, making teeth appear longer
loose or separating teeth
pus between the gum and tooth
bleeding while brushing or flossing
persistent bad breath
a change in the way your teeth fit together when you bite
a change in the fit of partial dentures.
The best way to avoid gum disease -- and one of the causes of bad breath -- is to faithfully brush and floss your teeth every day. Also, regular visits to a dentist can help provide a more thorough cleaning.
That's it for now. Talk to you later... Meanwhile, if you'd care to make a comment or share a story involving your dental health and bad breath, please do so. Thanks.
Wednesday, March 4, 2009
Sweets Can Lead To Bad Breath
Most people, me included, have a sweet tooth. So we like to indulge in sweets every now and then -- like candy, cookies, cake, and ice cream.
Problem is -- sweets can lead to bad breath. Our mouth is filled with bacteria that produce odor. And these bacteria love anything with sugar.
That's why breath mints are not effective if they have any kind of sugar. They mask the bad breath odor very briefly, but then the bacteria feed on the sugar and -- voila -- more abundant odor.
My favorite sweet is anything with chocolate. Did you know that each year, on average, each person in America eats 26 pounds of chocolate!
While most chocolate you find in cookies and candy can be bad for your teeth, your health, and your breath -- dark chocolate has some redeeming value. The higher the cocoa content in the chocolate, the healthier it is for you.
That's because very dark chocolate contains antioxidants.
You probably know what happens when you cut open and apple and leave it out. It starts turning brown. That's caused by oxygen and the process of turning brown is called oxidation.
Well, something like that is going on inside our bodies at the cellular level every day. This oxidation can lead to serious health problems if not offset by antioxidants. That's why we need to eat lots of fruits and vegetables...and even dark chocolate...because they contains lots of antioxidants that help us stay healthy.
So, a word of advice. Ease off on sweets if you want a fresher smelling breath. But if you have a strong hankering for something sweet, try dark chocolate instead. You can usually find dark chocolate at your grocery store. Even WalMart sells it. But again, look for a high cocoa content of 70 or better.
Until next time...
Problem is -- sweets can lead to bad breath. Our mouth is filled with bacteria that produce odor. And these bacteria love anything with sugar.
That's why breath mints are not effective if they have any kind of sugar. They mask the bad breath odor very briefly, but then the bacteria feed on the sugar and -- voila -- more abundant odor.
My favorite sweet is anything with chocolate. Did you know that each year, on average, each person in America eats 26 pounds of chocolate!
While most chocolate you find in cookies and candy can be bad for your teeth, your health, and your breath -- dark chocolate has some redeeming value. The higher the cocoa content in the chocolate, the healthier it is for you.
That's because very dark chocolate contains antioxidants.
You probably know what happens when you cut open and apple and leave it out. It starts turning brown. That's caused by oxygen and the process of turning brown is called oxidation.
Well, something like that is going on inside our bodies at the cellular level every day. This oxidation can lead to serious health problems if not offset by antioxidants. That's why we need to eat lots of fruits and vegetables...and even dark chocolate...because they contains lots of antioxidants that help us stay healthy.
So, a word of advice. Ease off on sweets if you want a fresher smelling breath. But if you have a strong hankering for something sweet, try dark chocolate instead. You can usually find dark chocolate at your grocery store. Even WalMart sells it. But again, look for a high cocoa content of 70 or better.
Until next time...
Tuesday, March 3, 2009
Bad Breath: A Romantic Turn-off
I've been saying all long that bad breath is BAD for relationships. Here's proof.
Not too long ago Harlequin Romance surveyed guys and gals in North America about love and romance. Among some of the findings: 94% of women reported true happiness on their wedding day; 46% of men believe in "perfect love"; 20% of women aren't happy with their wedding rings; and 39% of men have tried Internet dating to find that perfect mate.
Now here's the kicker..the survey also revealed that 57% of men and 58% of women said that halitosis, that is, bad breath, was a sure thing to kill a romantic relationship.
Among men, halitosis was the most popular reason for breaking off a romantic relationship...ahead of excessive sweating, smoking, and other unhealthy habits.
Among women, halitosis came in second just behind excessive drinking as a reason to end a romantic relationship. In fact, women said they could accept a man who smoked, had a fake orange tan, sweat too much, or had hair implants before they would stay with a man whose breath was chronically bad.
If you've been reading my posts over the last year or so you should know that there's a sure-fire way to beat bad breath. In fact, if you click on the links on this page, you can gain access to the best cure available today, a medically proven cure, I might add, that will leave your breath kissably sweet.
Talk to you later....
Not too long ago Harlequin Romance surveyed guys and gals in North America about love and romance. Among some of the findings: 94% of women reported true happiness on their wedding day; 46% of men believe in "perfect love"; 20% of women aren't happy with their wedding rings; and 39% of men have tried Internet dating to find that perfect mate.
Now here's the kicker..the survey also revealed that 57% of men and 58% of women said that halitosis, that is, bad breath, was a sure thing to kill a romantic relationship.
Among men, halitosis was the most popular reason for breaking off a romantic relationship...ahead of excessive sweating, smoking, and other unhealthy habits.
Among women, halitosis came in second just behind excessive drinking as a reason to end a romantic relationship. In fact, women said they could accept a man who smoked, had a fake orange tan, sweat too much, or had hair implants before they would stay with a man whose breath was chronically bad.
If you've been reading my posts over the last year or so you should know that there's a sure-fire way to beat bad breath. In fact, if you click on the links on this page, you can gain access to the best cure available today, a medically proven cure, I might add, that will leave your breath kissably sweet.
Talk to you later....
Monday, March 2, 2009
More On Treatment Of Canker Sores
Following up on yesterday's post about how vitamin B12 has been shown in a reserch trial to help heal canker sores, I've got some other treatments you might consider in dealing with these painful mouth sores.
You probably know that canker sores eventually go away if you just wait on them to heal naturally. But, boy, they're a bear to deal with until then. So let's see what can be done to speed up the process or ease the pain.
Until they are finally healed, it seems a lot of things irritate them. If you've been reading my previous posts you know that toothpaste with SLS (sodium lauryl sulfate) is a prime irritant and may even possibly cause canker sores. Another reason to stay away from toothpaste with no SLS is that they can actually promote bad breath.
You'll also want to avoid other irritants including chewing gum, hard, crunchy or spicy foods.
Okay, here are some treatment options. First, we know that vitamin B12 may help.
To help ease the pain, take ibuprofen (you can get this under the Walgreen's brand name or buy a slightly higher priced version such as Advil) or take acetaminophen (Tylenol is the brand name or use the less expensive version of acetaminophen from Walgreen's.)
There are also products you can apply directly to the sore, such as Orabase, Anbesol,Orajel, and Zilactin-B to ease the discomfort.
Another pain reliever is to mix equal amounts of Milk of Magnesia and Benadryl Allergy liquid in a cup. Swish a teaspoonful in your mouth for about 1 minute and then spit it out. Do this about every 4 to 6 hours.
Finally, there are some anecdotal reports about sucking on zinc lozenges, taking vitamin C, using a sage-and chamoile mouthwash, or taking a lysine supplement. They are said to speed the healing process.
So there you have it. Hope this helps.
By the way, if you've heard of some other way to treat or ease the pain of canker sores please let us know. Your comments are always welcome.
Until next time....
You probably know that canker sores eventually go away if you just wait on them to heal naturally. But, boy, they're a bear to deal with until then. So let's see what can be done to speed up the process or ease the pain.
Until they are finally healed, it seems a lot of things irritate them. If you've been reading my previous posts you know that toothpaste with SLS (sodium lauryl sulfate) is a prime irritant and may even possibly cause canker sores. Another reason to stay away from toothpaste with no SLS is that they can actually promote bad breath.
You'll also want to avoid other irritants including chewing gum, hard, crunchy or spicy foods.
Okay, here are some treatment options. First, we know that vitamin B12 may help.
To help ease the pain, take ibuprofen (you can get this under the Walgreen's brand name or buy a slightly higher priced version such as Advil) or take acetaminophen (Tylenol is the brand name or use the less expensive version of acetaminophen from Walgreen's.)
There are also products you can apply directly to the sore, such as Orabase, Anbesol,Orajel, and Zilactin-B to ease the discomfort.
Another pain reliever is to mix equal amounts of Milk of Magnesia and Benadryl Allergy liquid in a cup. Swish a teaspoonful in your mouth for about 1 minute and then spit it out. Do this about every 4 to 6 hours.
Finally, there are some anecdotal reports about sucking on zinc lozenges, taking vitamin C, using a sage-and chamoile mouthwash, or taking a lysine supplement. They are said to speed the healing process.
So there you have it. Hope this helps.
By the way, if you've heard of some other way to treat or ease the pain of canker sores please let us know. Your comments are always welcome.
Until next time....
Sunday, March 1, 2009
Prevent Canker Sores With Vitamin B12
In my last post of November 4, 2008, I revealed that the toothpaste you're using may contribute to the formation of canker sores (painful sores) in your mouth, that is, toothpaste containing SLS (sodium lauryl sulfate). SLS is the same ingredient found in most soaps and shampoos, and is very harsh on your skin or, in this case, the inside of your mouth.
To make matters worse, SLS dries out your mouth. Dry mouth , of course, is one of the causes of bad breath.
According to research in the January/February 2009 issue of The Journal of the American Board of Family Medicine, vitamin B12 supplementation may prevent canker sores. Of the 58 men and women in the trial, 74% of those who received vitamin B12 achieved remission versus only 32 percent of those who received a placebo.
Sublingual vitamin B12 with RAS 1,000 micrograms was given the participants.
In my next post, I'll reveal other treatments for canker sores that either reduce their pain or help them heal faster.
To make matters worse, SLS dries out your mouth. Dry mouth , of course, is one of the causes of bad breath.
According to research in the January/February 2009 issue of The Journal of the American Board of Family Medicine, vitamin B12 supplementation may prevent canker sores. Of the 58 men and women in the trial, 74% of those who received vitamin B12 achieved remission versus only 32 percent of those who received a placebo.
Sublingual vitamin B12 with RAS 1,000 micrograms was given the participants.
In my next post, I'll reveal other treatments for canker sores that either reduce their pain or help them heal faster.
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