The Causes Of Bad Breath Or Halitosis
By Jay George
2006-05-02
Acute or halitosis is a very common problem caused by a wide range of things: in particular dry mouth, stress, hunger, eating strongly flavored foods like garlic and onions, smoking, and poor oral hygiene. Morning breath is typical of passing or transient bad breath. However, chronic, ongoing is a far more serious problem which affects up to a quarter of the population in one way or another, and can have a dire effect on a person's personal, social, and business relationships if not dealt with properly.
Bad breath is due to large colonies of oral bacteria, and keeping these in check requires committed effort and treatment. At present, halitosis is not fully understood or even seen as totally curable by many experts, making reliable and effective treatment very hard to come by.
Most treatments are asymptotic and limited to the use of mouth and breath fresheners. Although many breath clinics have sprung up the world over, they mostly can't claim huge success in curing halitosis.
That said, a small number of them use tried and tested methods of microbiological examination to identify the different kinds of odor-causing bacteria. These culprits are then controlled by treatments tailored to the patients concerned.
Though the reasons for halitosis are not fully understood, it is known that most bad odors are caused by food debris trapped in the mouth. Incredibly, up to 400 different types of bacteria are found in the average mouth! Problems occur when a few dozen of these flourish in large numbers or mutate and grow en masse.
Many types of these bacteria are commonly found on the back of the tongue, as this gives them protection from normal mouth activity. The rough edges of the tongue, with all its convenient hiding-places,
are usually home to millions of these harmful bacteria, which create toxins by digesting debris, dead cells, and other matter. It is these toxins that are responsible for odors. The anaerobic respiration of these bacteria leads to build-up of compounds comprising sulfides and ammonia. These then mingle with the breath to form a highly unpleasant aerosol.
Other established causes of chronic are periodontitis or gum disease, diabetes (characteristic acetone smell), kidney failure (fishy odor), liver problems, tonsilloliths, sinusitis or respiratory infections, gastroesophageal reflux disorder (GERD)/digestive disorders, dieting/fasting-related odors, and a wide range of prescription drugs.
It has to be said though that most problems begin, as you might expect, in the mouth, with the tongue being a common site for the origin of halitosis problems. However, the teeth can be a magnet for plaque-containing bacteria, and lack of careful or regular brushing can result in build-ups of bacteria which cause bad breath.
Those suffering from periodontitis or gum disease often have because of bacteria accumulations in areas which are not easily or thoroughly cleaned, such as deep fissures surrounding teeth. Fortunately the treatment for those with halitosis of mouth origin can be more effective than that from other causes.
Article Source: http://www.upublish.info
About the Author:
Jay George
Jay George is a writer/publisher on health matters. "No More and Gum Disease: How I Banished My and Gum Disease For Life" shows how to cure instantly and reverse gum disease in just a week! #1 Bestseller has helped 1000s worldwide: www.BanishBadBreath.net
