Friday, March 30, 2007

Bad Breath Halitosis

By R. Drysdale

It’s been written that someone called bad breath halitosis many years ago in a deliberate attempt to create a medical term for a common problem. At the time, bad breath was regarded as more of a personal hygiene issue than a medical problem. The name stuck but it was still a long time before anyone really started taking breath odor seriously from a medical perspective, and today, halitosis is not the proper medical term - physicians say "fetor oris," "ozostomia," or "stomatodysodia."

But whatever you want to call it, a bad breath problem is still a social challenge for anyone unfortunate enough to suffer from it. Fortunately, medicine and science have been paying more attention in recent years, and even though its root causes are still not completely understood, there are now some real research-based methods to combat bad breath halitosis. The best of these are based on the knowledge that the odor is almost always being produced by oral bacteria living in the mouth.

Since sometime in the 1940s, medicine has been combating bacteria, like the ones that cause bad breath halitosis and many more serious infections, with antibiotics - drugs that kill bacteria.

There are problems with antibiotics however: sometimes they don't reach the site of infection; sometimes bacteria develop resistance to them, and often they fail to kill off all of the bacteria they're being aimed at. When some bacteria remain, they begin to multiply anew as soon as the antibiotic is withdrawn. In cases where antibiotics and antiseptics are used to treat a persistent bad breath problem, the odor usually recurs because bacteria return to their former levels after treatment is discontinued.

The point is that, in order to permanently treat a breath odor problem, you need to treat the root cause. It might be a medical problem like sinusitis or gum disease. It might be something systemic, a situation that would require diagnosis by a medical doctor. It might be a dietary deficiency of some kind. I

f you want to be free of bad breath halitosis, get a complete medical checkup and a dental examination. Assess your lifestyle and dietary habits and try to improve things, even if it just means taking a vitamin supplement. And while you are working on the problem, use one of the trusted brand name breath products aimed at cutting down the population of odor-producing bacteria living in your mouth and causing bad breath, halitosis, fetor oris, or whatever you choose to call it.

R. Drysdale is a freelance writer with more than 25 years experience as a health care professional. She is a contributing editor to Bad Breath Halitosis, a blog dedicated to the treatment of bad breath.

Bad Breath Bible

By R. Drysdale

Perhaps you've heard of something called the bad breath bible. There is, in fact, such a thing. It's a book written by Dr. Harold Katz, a specialist in the treatment of halitosis and the developer of a line of products for doing just that (TheraBreath). Dr. Katz's website tells us that he was a practicing dentist before he became interested in researching and treating bad breath. His book is a summary of his research and his understanding of the problem.

The product that Dr. Katz is selling is sometimes described as a bad breath natural remedy because it does not contain the antibacterial chemicals so common in over the counter mouthwashes (however, it does contain the chemical sodium chlorite). His approach, instead, is to deliver oxygen to regions of the mouth where there is little air circulation and anaerobic bacteria flourish. (Anaerobic bacteria live in the absence of oxygen and produce the foul odors that we associate with bad breath.) The bad breath bible explains not only where these bacteria are found, but how they cause halitosis and why Katz's product should work to control them.

There may not be any really ground-shaking information in the bad breath bible: we have known for some time that foul breath odor is produced by bacteria and that these bacteria are anaerobes living on the surface of the tongue, between the teeth, in pockets and creases in the gums, and in the tonsillar crypts. People have used different approaches for eliminating these bacteria, particularly antibacterial mouthwashes, and sometimes even antibiotics. The delivery of oxygen to anaerobic areas in the oral cavity is one of several new approaches that seek a bad breath natural remedy. Though the treatment uses sodium chlorite, this is described as a very safe chemical that simply reacts in the mouth to release oxygen. Other natural ingredients in some of the products include zinc to reduce bad tastes and tartar, and tea tree oil as a natural antimicrobial.

Whether or not you're keen on trying the line of products that the bad breath bible recommends, it will likely provide you with a source of information about halitosis and answers to many questions that you have. It is often available for download free from Katz's website, and will doubtless clarify the question of whether there might truly be a bad breath natural remedy.

R. Drysdale is a freelance writer with more than 25 years experience as a health care professional. She is a contributing editor to Bad Breath Guide, a blog dedicated to the treatment of bad breath.

Bad Breath / Halitosis

By James Hunaban

Bad breath is another term for the medical condition halitosis. Breath odor is a very common problem and there are many different causes. The condition is normally caused by the bacteria that reside in the patient’s mouth. Bad breath is also caused by dry mouth (xerostomia), which happens when the flow of saliva drops. In some instances, bad breath is the outcome of just a dirty mouth. The unfortunate side of bad breath is that you cannot usually smell it yourself.

The term halitosis was originally 'coined' by the Listerine company a long time ago. In the 1920’s, i think it was. A lot of folk will experience a certain degree of halitosis at some time in their lives. A dental examination is a good idea for normal instances of halitosis, as only a qualified dentist or possibly a doctor can definitely tell you that you have halitosis. There is a good chance that either you, or someone in your family, suffers from halitosis (chronic bad breath).

If you do not brush and floss on a regular basis, bits of food can stay in your mouth. You then collect bacteria, which can then be the cause bad breath. The great evil which is smoking can also be a major reason for bad breath. If you wear dentures just make sure they are always fresh and clean, and avoid the plaque build-up on them that can cause bad breath. Avoid eating any foods that cause you to have bad breath. I am sure you know which foods I am talking about. On occasion, tonsillitis can also cause bad breath.

For a long time humans have been looking for a remedy for bad breath. And many people have found one. Black tea is a strong remedy against bad breath. One home remedy is to dissolve baking soda in water and cleanse the tongue with this. Another good remedy for bad breath is avocado, which is far better than any mouth lotion or remedies for this condition. Another simple remedy for bad breath, which you probably never considered, is just drink water.

Bad Breath is an embarrassing problem. Bad breath is also a taboo subject to most people. The good news is chronic bad breath {halitosis} is a really treatable condition. Just remember nearly all cases of bad breath are caused by a problem of some type in the mouth.

James Hunaban is the owner of bad-breath.health-info4u.com - a site dedicated to Bad Breath . Go there now and read some interesting articles on the subject.

Bad Breath (Halitosis) Causes and Treatments

By Eelynn Lee

Halitosis or bad breath is a common condition that affects up to 25% of the population in varying degrees. Halitosis is usually caused by poor mouth hygiene, mouth infection, oral disorder, food and drinks, constipation and medication. It can be cured through right diagnosis and treatments.

Breath odor is usually caused by oral bacteria and as a result, release unpleasant smell. Poor mouth hygiene, such as infrequent brushing or flossing of teeth, allows the flourish of these oral bacteria. The decayed food leftovers in the mouth and in between the teeth can cause bad odor too. Brushing at least twice a day and flossing can take away food leftovers in the mouth and in between teeth.

Oral disorder like gum problem and tooth decay can also cause halitosis. To fight bad breath caused by gums and tooth problems, consult your dentist and have the problem sorted out. Halitosis caused by mouth infection (sore mouth) and throat infections (tonsillitis and sore throat) will disappear when the infections are cured

Some experts explained that some people tend to have more bacteria concentrations in their tongue than normal which then causes bad breath. No matter how careful they are, they would still have bad breath. A regular scrapping of tongue with some special scrapper will help. Seeking a doctor's advice can be a big help in eliminating the disorder.

In addition, foods and drinks that we take through the mouth can cause bad breath. Raw garlic can leave pungent odor and may blend with breath. The same is true for alcoholic drinks and cigars. Chewing menthol-flavored gums and mints can help to sweeten breath and mask the odor.

Food allergy or intolerance can cause bad breath. Feeling bloated and full all the time as your stomach creates gas, which, withdraws in your mouth, causes the smell. The best solution is to avoid the foods that cause the allergy symptoms.

Constipation sufferers may have bad breath. Waste on bowels build up in the body can cause back production of gases which are being eliminated via breath. Bad breath caused by constipation should disappear when passing of stools becomes normal. High-fibre diet helps bowel to function regularly. Sufferers should exercise regularly and drink plenty of water.
Medication can also induce bad breath due to the presence of chemical substances in some drugs. Patients on long term medication may seek doctor's advice on whether it would possible to get a replacement drug. For patients on short term medication, chew parsley or mint to sweeten the breath seems to be a better solution.

Sleeping with open mouth also leads to bad breath. This can be observed if your breath is worst in the morning after waking up. Open mouth reduces saliva which freshens our mouth and therefore encourages bad breath to develop. If your nasal problems that cause you to breath through mouth, you need to see your physician for some sound advice.

Commercial breath-freshening products provide temporary relief since these products only mask mouth odors for a short period of time. These products do not solve the problem of bad breath. To solve the problem permanently, you need to find the cause of the halitosis and take the right treatment. Good mouth hygiene is important to keep your mouth fresh. Drink plenty of water to keep your mouth moist. This prevents bacterial from building up in your mouth and thereby helps to reduce bad breath.

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Food for Health. Food For Weight Control. Food as Medicine. Everything About Food Nutrition Such As Vital Vitamins, Dietary Minerals, Fibre, Fat and Carbohydrate.