Social Stigma of Bad Breath

People who suffer from bad breath know the disturbing effect it can have on their personal lives. It can lead to social ridicule and ongoing embarrassment, and impair social and sexual relationships.

It can also affect occupational relationships.

As the news media reported in late 2007, a Manhattan doorman was suspended from work on three separate occasions because he allegedly had bad breath – despite brushing his teeth and using breath mints.

Because we live in a hygiene-conscious culture, bad breath just isn’t socially acceptable. According to public opinions surveys, people form negative images of persons with bad breath.

Nobody wants to be a social misfit; therefore, it’s imperative that we take steps to stop bad breath. To ignore or do nothing about this problem is blatantly uncivil and unprofessional.

Unfortunately, many people who have bad breath aren’t even aware of it. That’s because our nose tends to filter out and ignore background odors – including our own bad breath.

Another reason people may not realize they have bad breath is that their friends and family don’t want to embarrass them or they just lack the courage to broach the subject, so they don’t say anything.

Since you may not be aware that you have bad breath , it’s important to pay attention to how people act around you. Ask yourself – do people tend to:

§ Keep their distance from you during conversation?
§ Grimace or turn their heads away when you are speaking?
§ Come up with all kinds of reasons why they can’t be with you?
§ Suddenly whisper among themselves when you approach them?
§ Kiss you on the cheek (instead of the lips)?

What's Your Favorite Bad Breath Cure?

What bad breath remedy -- be it a popular mouthwash, breath mint, or even some natural, household ingredient like an herb or tea -- works best for you?

Send me your cures or remedies and we'll list them on this blog. If you don't have any, check out some of my halitosis remedies .

Tonsilloliths -- Another Possible Cause Of Bad Breath

Tonsilloliths -- one of those 75-cent words you can throw around at a party to impress everyone -- is none other than tonsil stones. Tonsilloliths, or tonsil stones, are calcified growths found in the creases of the tonsils and towards the back of the mouth -- and a potential cause of bad breath. It's estimated 5 to 7% of the population have experienced these small, crumbly stones in their mouths.

Possible causes of tonsilloliths include the accumulation of food particles and dead white blood cells, overactive salivary glands, and oral bacteria.

If you notice tonsil stones in your mouth, let your dentist remove them. Don't try to remove them yourself because you can harm the soft tissues in your mouth and tonsils.

Learning about tonsilloliths and other possible causes of halitosis is the first step you can take to make sure your breath is always clean and fresh.

A Few Flossing Tips

Flossing goes hand-in-hand with brushing. It's essential to a cleaner, fresher mouth. If you omit flossing from your dental hygiene routine, you stand a good chance of developing gingivitis, an early form of gum disease. That will require a visit to the dentist. He will have to clean out the area where your teeth and gums meet, and I can assure you it's not pleasant.

Here's a good flossing tip to consider: Try flossing your teeth before you brush. You'll be able to remove the food debris stirred up by flossing.

If you're like most people, you're probably flossing incorrectly. Proper flossing is essential to keeping your teeth and gums healthy...and ultimately your breath. Learn how to do it correctly.

Here's another suggestion. If you feel uncomfortable about flossing the standard way or if you're not sure you're doing it correctly, try using a specially designed plastic toothpick or an interdental cleaner, whichever is easier to hold and use. The idea is to clean the space between your teeth and the area where your gums meet your teeth -- regardless of which type of dental tool you use.

Got questions or comments? Send them on.

What You Eat Can Be Good For Your Teeth And Help Freshen Your Breath

That's right, what you eat and drink can benefit your teeth and breath.

Eating crunchy vegetables like carrots and celery, for example, can remove plaque from your teeth, stimulate the gums, stimulate saliva in your mouth. The saliva can help minimize the effect of odor-causing bacteria (see my post for June 9).

Eat cheese or chocolate. There's evidence that snacking on cheddar, mozzarella, Swiss and American cheese can protect you from getting cavities, especially if you eat them at the end of a meal. Also, there's some research showing that the fat in chocolate might help you avoid damage from the sugar.

About 1,000 milligrams (mg) of Vitamin C a day helps kill the type of bacteria that causes gingivitis, the first stage of gum disease.

Eat raisins. They contain phytochemicals that fight bacteria in the mouth that cause cavities and gum disease.

Rinsing with black tea reduces plaque formation and the production of acids that cause tooth decay, according to current research conducted at the Chicago College of Dentistry. Tannin, another ingredient in black tea (also found in grapes and certain herbs) has demonstrated the ability to fight decaying-causing bacteria. If you're concerned about the black tea staining your teeth, switch to green tea.

Eat salsa or jalapeno peppers to make your mouth water. They stimulate saliva production -- which helps neutralize acids. Chewing sugarless gum for 20 minutes after meals can also help prevent tooth decay, according to the American Dental Association.

Learn more about other foods good for bad breath by checking out this link. If you'd care to comment about foods you know that are good for your teeth and breath, let us know.

Oral Bacteria Causes Bad Breath

Bad breath is caused by many things, but the No. 1 cause is oral bacteria. Nearly 90% of all halitosis is caused by these microscopic critters living within the folds and creases and pores of your tongue where they emit waste products that are high in sulfur compounds and smell like rotten eggs...or worse.

Unfortunately, there are many things that prompt the bacteria to propogate, thereby producing more poo. A dry mouth is one of the main contributors. We talked about this yesterday. A dry mouth can be caused by drinking alcohol, using a mouthwash with a high alcohol content, smoking, drinking sugary drinks, drinking lots of coffee, taking medications or drugs, sleeping with your mouth open, and talking a lot...among other causes.

So how do you control this bacteria? You can brush and floss daily, drink more water, avoid mouthwashes with high concentrations of alcohol, chew sugarless gum, cut down on coffee, and quit smoking. But if you want to know the best way to control bad breath bacteria and neutralize the sulfur compounds that smell so bad, visit BestHalitosisCure.com for greater details. As always, your comments and questions are welcome.

Dry Mouth Can Lead To Bad Breath

Dry mouth is one of the leading causes of bad breath.

Everyone experiences dry mouth. For instance, you probably notice your breath is not so pleasant when you first awaken. This “morning breath” is due to a dry mouth.

It occurs when our mouth dries out during sleep because of our body’s natural tendency to limit saliva flow when we’re at rest, and because we often have a tendency to snore or sleep with our mouths open.

Alcoholic beverages or mouthwashes containing alcohol can also dry out our mouth, as well as sugar-based beverages. Stress, too, can lead to a dry mouth, which can cause double trouble when coupled with the increase in stomach acid that stress can cause.

Unfortunately, you may experience dry mouth almost all the time. This condition is called chronic dry mouth, and, medically speaking, is referred to as xerostomia. It occurs whenever your flow of saliva decreases.

Medications for high blood pressure and depression, as well as diuretics, narcotics, antihistamines for allergies and colds, salivary gland problems and continuous mouth breathing are additional causes if you suffer from chronic dry mouth.

If you talk a lot, are a teacher, lawyer, or someone in sales, chances are good you have dry mouth.

A drier mouth has less saliva. Saliva, nature’s mouthwash, contains oxygen, which helps keep your mouth healthy and fresh. So, less saliva means there’s less oxygen. This creates a reduced oxygen environment – ideal for anaerobic bacteria that don’t need oxygen to generate foul-smelling and sour/bitter compounds in your mouth.

As we get older, our salivary glands work less effectively and the make-up of our saliva changes, reducing their effectiveness at cleansing and buffering the oral bacteria waste products. These factors can contribute to mouth dryness, too.

If you suffer from chronic dry mouth you should be advised that you are more prone to have gum disease, which is another cause of bad breath.

What can you do if you have dry mouth. Well, you can see your dentist or dental hygienist who may be able to recommend an artificial saliva you can take. You can also chew sugarless gum or sugarless candy to increase fluid intake. Of course, drinking lots of water can help, too.

If you have any questions or comments about dry mouth, don't hesitate to post them here. We look forward to hearing from you.

Breath Mints

It appears that man has been sucking or chewing on various things to banish bad breath for thousands of years. In fact, according to the web site, "How Products Are Made," people used to suck on whole cloves to fight bad breath more than 4,000 years ago. Anise, which smells similar to licorice, was a popular solution to bad breath in the Middle Ages, as were cardamom seeds. The early settlers of North America discovered that chewing on dried orris root and calamus root could help freshen halitosis. Breath mints evolved out of the breath freshening chews of the past.

Though Altoids (those curiously strong mints that come in a tin case) had been around in England since the 19th century, it appears that the American demand for a candy mint was not met until 1956, with the introduction of Certs.

Given that so many early forms of chewing gums, breath mints, and even mouthwash were derived from plants, it's only natural that people often return to plants for bad breath remedies .

A popular folk remedy for bad breath is chewing parsley. Chewing mint leaves is another fine folk remedy that has been used for thousands of years. Other herbs that can be chewed to remedy bad breath include basil, sage, rosemary, and thyme.

We'll discuss other remedies for bad breath in future posts. Until then, best wishes for a fresh breath.

Got Questions, Comments?

If you, or someone you know, has bad breath and would like some solid information on how to best cure it, let me know. This site is dedicated to helping anyone with concerns about bad breath.

Most people have bad breath at one time or another. It's often embarrassing and always socially unacceptable. It can be a big turn-off when you're close to people, especially the love of your life. Many folks, unfortunately, have bad breath all the time. It's what we call a "chronic" condition.

Regretably, most bad breath products on the market today are largely ineffective, e.g., toothpaste, mouthwash, and breath mints. And many of these products actually make the problem worse due to their ingredients. For instance, look to see if what you're using to freshen your breath contains sugar or a similar sweetner, alcohol, or sodium lauryl sulfate. You can learn more about these ingredients -- and how they make your breath worse -- by clicking on the link above.

Lots of things can trigger bad breath, though for most people it can be narrowed down to just a few major causes. If you're needing effective help in overcoming halitosis, post your comments or questions and I'll take it from there.

What To Look For In Selecting An Effective Mouthwash To Control Bad Breath

As a rule, do not use commercial mouthwashes to control your bad breath. Most contain nothing more than flavoring, dye, and alcohol. While these may kill the bacteria that cause bad breath, the bacteria soon return in greater force. Mouthwashes can also irritate the gums, tongue, and mucous membranes.

Look for mouthwashes that contain both chlorine dioxide and zinc. They can eliminate bad breath for up to 8 hours.

Zinc stops an enzyme from breaking down an amino acid that makes the sulfur (sulfur is one of the mouth odors we smell) and by doing this stops the process for a longer period of time. The chlorine dioxide kills the already formed odor-causing bacteria.

Another effective mouthwash is liquid chlorophyll. Use 1 tablespoon per 1/2 glass water for a gargle/mouthwash or a chlorophyll based mouth rinse. Use daily as needed.

To cure bad breath, check out the link in this article for more in-depth information about treating bad breath. As always, we invite your comments or questions.

Halitosis: A Common Disorder

Halitosis, also known as "bad breath" or "oral malodor," afflicts more than 90 million Americans, according to some estimates. It can be embarrassing and socially unacceptable for those people who experience it. Most adults probably suffer from bad breath occasionally, with perhaps about 25 percent suffering on a regular basis.

Bad breath can be a sign of a health problem and is typically caused by poor dental hygiene and the activity of bacteria in the mouth.

However, other factors may be involved, including gum disease, tooth decay, heavy metal buildup, infection of the respiratory tract such as sinus infection, nose or throat infection, infection of the windpipe, improper diet, gastric problems, constipation, smoking, fever, diabetes, foreign bacteria in the mouth, indigestion, inadequate protein digestion, liver or kidney malfunction, postnasal drip, stress, and too much unfriendly bacteria in the colon.

Halitosis can also be caused by a buildup of toxins in the gastrointestinal tract, salivary gland disorders, chronic bronchitis, sinusitis, or diabetes. Dieting, alcohol abuse, or fasting can cause bad breath as well. "Morning breath" results from dehydration and a reduction in the amount of saliva when we sleep, which is needed to wash away bacteria in the mouth. Dieters and people who are fasting may experience bad breath because the lack of food causes the body to break down stored fat and protein for fuel; metabolic wastes resulting from that process have an unpleasant odor as they are exhaled from the lungs.

In the past, bad breath was often considered to be an incurable affliction. However, in recent years it has become increasingly evident that bad breath is usually treatable once a proper diagnosis is made.

The main problem is knowing whether or not we have halitosis. Normally, we are unable to detect our own bad breath. That's because our nose, which typically filters out and disregards background odors, filters out and disregards own bad breath. This process is called acclimation.

Some people suffer from bad breath without knowing it, while others build up exaggerated fears about breath odor even though they do not have it. The best way to find out whether we have bad breath is to ask for someone else's opinion. If we don't ask, other people are unlikely to tell us. And since bad breath can sometimes -fortunately rarely - be a sign of a significant general health problem, we should not be reluctant to tell people dear to us that they have a bad breath problem.

As always, your questions and comments about bad breath and oral health are invited.

Brushing and Flossing -- Tools For A Fresher Breath

Brushing and flossing are essential for proper dental health. After all, they help remove food debris that gets stuck on and between our teeth -- all of which leads to a cleaner, fresher breather.

According to the 2003 Lemelson-MIT Invention Index, the toothbrush is one of the five inventions which Americans could not live without, beating out the car, the personal computer, the cell phone, and the microwave in that order.

Throughout the ages, men and women have grabbed whatever was handy to clean their teeth. For instance, the first primitive devices were twigs, branches, bones, and feathers. The closest ancestor to our modern day toothbrush, however, was invented by the Chinese in the 1400s. They attached a hog's stiff neck hairs to a bamboo stick.

A few hundred years later in 1770, William Addis, imprisoned for inciting a riot, created the first modern toothbrush in London's Newgate Prison. Most people of that period used a rag to clean their teeth. Addis' toothbrush consisted of stiff bristles attached to a bone he had saved after a prison meal. Once released from prison, Addis became quite successful marketing his toothbrush.

When selecting a toothbrush, it's important to select one with soft bristles. Harder bristles, combined with vigorous brushing, can harm your tooth enamel. It can also lead to receding gums. Don't brush up and down or side to side. Rather, brush each tooth in a gentle, circular motion.

Proper brushing is essential to effectively removing plaque from the surface of your teeth. Plaque, a sticky, transparent residue of food debris and bacteria that coats your teeth after eating, can lead to tooth decay and gum disease. Plaque that hardens is called tartar. This is more damaging and harder to remove. In fact, it's usually necessary to have a dentist remove it.

Dental floss has a much more traditional history, and not at all associated with prison or pig bristles. New Orleans dentist Levi Spear Parmly introduced dental floss in the early 1800s. Parmly was a major advocate of flossing to ensure proper dental health.

Dental floss was finally made available to consumers toward the end of the 1800s, when Codman and Shurtleft, Johnson & Johnson, and other companies produced and mass marketed dental floss.

Flossing is essential in cleaning your teeth because it removes plaque from those areas of your teeth that your toothbrush cannot effectively reach. In fact, roughly 40% of your teeth will never get cleaned properly if you don’t floss. By not flossing, you allow plaque and tartar (hardened plaque) to form at and under the gum line.

When this occurs, you run the risk of allowing bacteria to get under the gums, which can cause gingivitis and more serious forms of gum disease – not to mention bad breath. To get rid of this buildup, you’ll need to see a dentist – and I can assure you, the process can be uncomfortable.

Flossing also polishes your tooth surfaces, increases the blood circulation in the gums, and controls bad breath.

You should floss at least once, but preferably twice a day. Most cavities start between the teeth. To give your teeth a good flossing, spend at least 2 to 3 minutes.

Like brushing your teeth, proper flossing is essential to a cleaner, fresher mouth. Click on the links in this article on how you can more effectively brush and floss your teeth. Got questions or comments? Please post them and we'll respond promptly.

Chewing Gum With The Right Ingredients Can Freshen Your Breath

Chewing gum can freshen our breath. But gum with the wrong ingredients can ultimately make your breath smell worse.

The key to selecting a good chewing gum is to make sure it does NOT contain sugar, especially sucrose, glucose, or aspartame. The oral bacteria in your mouth uses the sugar to generate acids, which lead to tooth decay. The sugar also feeds odor-causing bacteria in your mouth, so in the end your breath may smell worse after chewing sugar-laden gum.

Here are some ingredients that should be in your chewing gum:

1. Zinc Gluconate. Zinc inhibits the acid in your mouth produced by mutans streptococci (the bacteria in your mouth that cause bad breath). These bacteria thrive in an acidic environment, so when you neutralize the acids you kill bacteria (and you help prevent that annoying tinny, metallic taste). Another benefit of neutralizing the acids in your mouth is that you protect your tooth enamel, thereby maintaining a brighter, whiter smell.

Zinc ions also disrupt certain receptors on the outer cell wall of anaerobic bacteria. This prevents the bacteria from producing odor-causing sulfur in your mouth.

Yet another benefit of zinc glucoate is that it been used to help people with long-term taste disorcers by rejuvenating their taste buds.

2. Xylitol. Xylitol is an all-natural sweetner made from the bark of hardwood trees. It is an excellent replacement for sugar or Aspartame (Nutrasweet). It is the only sweetner proven to fight tooth decay. While sugar feeds oral bacteria to generate acids that can cause tooth decay, xylitol actually prevents the bacteria from doing so. It therefore creates a healthy environment in your mouth.

3. Oxygenating compounds. Oxygenating compounds cover your mouth and throat with oxygenating molecules that help neutralize odor-causing bacteria found in your mouth, throat, tonsils, and upper reaches of your esophagus. These bacteria are anaerobic, that is, they thrive in an oxygen-free environment. But the oxygenating compounds bathe the entire mouth and throat with oxygen, thus minimizing the ability of these bacteria to produce offensive smelling sulfur compounds.

You can freshen your breath with chewing gum , but make sure it has the right ingredients. Otherwise, you could be making your breath worse! As always, we invite your comments and questions.