How to Get Rid of Bad Breath or Halitosis - A Comprehensive Report. , Bad Breath Problem and its Effect on Social Life of Modern Society. “Oh God I feel so bad while talking to my friends my bad breath is bothering me” Every month patients come into my clinic with a question; how to get rid of bad breath? Most of them expect me to give some magical medicine which can cure their bad breath. I’m telling you the same answer what I tell them- People suffer from bad breath due to different reasons, and reasons for bad breath should be diagnosed and eliminated for permanent treatment.From various data it is indicated that most of the people suffer from bad breath for several years before seeking professional treatment. There is no gender predominance and patients are from age groups 5 to 80 yr. Patients are not only from the poor socioeconomic strata but from good social class too. Bad breath causes social problem among 50% of the people in developed countries. Americans alone spend 1 billion dollar per year on deodorant like mouth rinses, OTC products and home remedies for bad breath in attempt to mask it or cure it. It would be very good if this 1 billion dollar could be spend on proper diagnosis and professional care instead of spending money on temporary solutions for bad breath treatment. Instead of asking how to avoid bad breath you should ask how to treat bad breath. This problem have serious socio psychological effect on the person who is suffering from it, lack of confidence in social and personal relationship is seen in these subjects. Two major behavioral changes are- They avoid talking in a social group and they avoid close contacts in personal relationships. This problem can also define how others behave with these people; some people may avoid talking with person who is suffering from bad breath and spouse may even avoid kissing.Bad Breath can be defined as- The subjective perception after smelling someone’s breath. It can be unpleasant or even disturbing, it is also called as bad breath, oral malodor and halitosis The Chemistry of Bad Breath- What things makes your breath smell bad? This part of the report contains scientific words but I expect that you will be able to understand at least the basic reasons of bad breath.Volatile sulfur compounds like- Hydrogen sulfide, Methylmercaptan, Dimethyl sulfide are few key agents which can be blamed for reasons of bad breath. Other chemicals like Putrescine, Cadaverine, indol, skatole, butyric or propionic acid are also responsible for halitosis or bad breath. These chemicals are generated by bacteria through the process of putrefaction of peptides which are present in the saliva, shed epithelium, gingival crevicular fluid, interdental plaque, food debris, post nasal drip and blood. Gram negative anaerobic bacteria have ability to do this kind of activity. Causes of Bad Breath Causes can be broadly divided into two parts 1. Intraoral causes (which are present in the mouth), 2. Extraoral causes (these originates at places other than mouth). Intraoral Causes Dentition- Irregularly placed teeth increases the chance of food accumulation and debris formation, Presence of plaque on teeth- this can be removed by proper oral hygiene methods, Presence of calculus on teeth- this can’t be removed by brushing, professional cleaning or scaling is needed. Deep cavities causes food lodgment and its decaying causes bad smell, Interdental spacing causes food accumulation and difficulty in cleaning the tooth and hence result in plaque formation and decaying,Prosthesis- Large number of fillings which nay have leaking markings, Ill fitting crowns and bridges which causes food accumulation and debris accumulation between them, Dentures which are kept in mouth over night or not cleaned regularly can also produce bad smell in mouth.Periodontal infection- Patients suffering from periodontitis (inflammation and deep infection of gums )or gingivitis (inflammation or superficial infection of gums) show increased level of oral malodor, this is due to presence of anaerobic bacteria which produce volatile sulfur compounds, deeper the periodontal problem more bacteria and more bad breath will be present. This is most common and major cause of bad breath among huge number of people.Dry mouth- It is also called as Xerostomia, patients salivary gland doesn’t function properly resulting in insufficient saliva production this intern result in accumulation of large amount of plaque accumulation on teeth prosthesis and tongue. Increased microbial activity and release of volatile sulfur compound becomes the reasons for bad breath.Tongue and Tongue Coating- Tongue have large number of papillae which have central crater and lifted border this makes tongue a rough surface tongue have tendency to accumulate debris and coating, those who forget to clean there tongue or those who don’t clean there tongue will suffer from bad breath. There are some conditions like fissurated tongue, scrotal tongue and hairy tongue increases the debris retention and problem. Extraoral Causes- Ear, Nose, Throat- Acute Pharyngitis (inflammation and infection of back part of the throat), purulent sinusitis (chronic discharge from sinus into oral and nasal cavity), post nasal drip (due to sinusitis), regurgitation esophagitis ( acid reflux from the stomach into the throat and mouth), Ozena ( atrophic condition of nasal mucosa causing crust formation and strong bad breath), Chronic tonsillitis, Bronchi and Lung- Some conditions like chronic bronchitis, bronchiectasis, bronchial carcinoma causes halitosis.Liver- Patients suffering from liver insufficiency (like cirrhosis, will result in increased ammonium content in their blood which is exhaled in breathed air resulting in one of the causes of halitosis.Kidney- Conditions like Chronic glomerulonephritis which result in kidney insufficiency will lead to increased uric acid level which will be exhaled in breathed air and cause bad breath. How to cure bad breath or halitosis After reading the above report now you know that to get rid of bad breath you must first diagnose the cause and then get a targeted treatment for it. Let's discuss how to get rid of bad breath which are originating from intraoral source.Following are the treatment modes. 1. Mechanical reduction of intraoral debris and microorganisms. 2. Chemical reduction of microbial load. 3. Masking the bad breath. 1. Mechanical reduction of intraoral debris and microorganisms. Proper tooth brushing technique- Person how is suffering from halitosis should start from baby steps ie. learn about proper tooth brushing technique and start brushing your tooth twice a day for at least two minutes. This habit will reduce the amount of plaque and debris to significant levels hence reducing the number of bad breath producing bacteria. Proper tongue cleaning- a tooth brush can be used to clean the surface of the tongue but a tongue scraper is better option for this work. Daily tongue cleaning has marked effect on the halitosis reduction treatment. it have added benefit of improving taste sensation. Proper interdental cleaning - Most of the people forget about interdental cleaning, but it may affect the treatment results drastically if done properly. Patient is educated to use floss to clean tight interdental areas and interdental brush is used to clean areas which have gaps. 2. Professional Cleaning, Scaling, and Root Planing. Gingivitis and Periodontitis are the major causes of bad breath or halitosis, professional periodontal therapy is needed to control the growth and multiplication of microorganisms. (One stage full mouth disinfection) combined with scaling and root plaining with the application of chlorhexidine will reduce the bad breath upto 90%. Seek a professional advice from your dentist. 3. Chemical Reduction Technique. Objective behind using chemical reduction technique is to reduce the microbial load in oral cavity but the drawback of this technique is that its effect is limited, This is why it is advice to practice this technique in conjugation with above told steps. I’m telling you few agents which can be usedChlorhexidine – Antiplaque and antigingivitis agent. Chlorhexidine mouthwash provide superior and significant reduction in volatile sulfur producing compounds, .2% chlorhexidine diluted in water can be used for oral rinse twice a day in combination with tooth brushing and tongue cleaning.Essential oils- Short term effect (3hrs) of listerin rinse was found effective in reducing bad breath upto 25%.Chlorine dioxide- It’s an oxidizing agent which can eliminate bad breath by oxidizing hydrogen sulfide, methylmercaptan, cystein. Resulting in reduced halitosis (limited effect)Triclosan- Broad spectrum antimicrobial agent of superior quality then above mentioned agents, in an experiment triclosan and .84% Zinc produced more prolonged reduction in bad breath then listerin rinse. Hydrogen Peroxide- 3% hydrogen peroxide produced impressive reduction 90% in sulfur gas that persisted for 8 hrs.Tooth paste- It have been demonstrated in various experiments that fluoride containing tooth paste and baking soda containing tooth paste has been shown to be effective upto 44% to 50% reduction in halitosis for 3 to 8 hrs.Chewing Gum- Some chewing gums which contain chlorhexidine help in reducing bad breath through both mechanical and chemical approach. There was 45% reduction in bad breath after 5min of chewing. Effects of masking agents- Masking agents are not good options to get rid of bad breath. Spray just mask the bad breath for some time and may result in even increasing the feeling of halitosis when the effect is gone. Handy remedy for bad breath in emergency situations How to get rid of bad breath when you are in a party or just before a date. I’ll give you an effective home remedy for this situation is increase water intake and put a chewing gum in your mouth chew on it for 5 minutes and spit, gargle with fresh water and then have a glass of lemon juice or orange juice. ( chewing gum will do the mechanical and chemical cleansing of your oral cavity then water will increase the flush and cleaning of debris and then orange juice will alter the ph which will control your bad breath for some time) Summary Bad breath or halitosis have severe socio psychological effects and it can also remind us about underlying medical problems, a proper diagnosis is needed for permanent cure. The most common cause of malodor is gingivitis, periodontitis and tongue coating which can be managed by full mouth one stage disinfection, scaling an root planing including use of proper oral hygiene and mouth rinses and tooth paste. For best results readers are suggested to understand the multi factorial reasons of bad breath and consult your dentist for further diagnosis and treatment. Maintain good oral hygiene and eat healthy food, get professional service for your problem. , http://bit.ly/18R7eMO

How to Get Rid of Bad Breath or Halitosis - A Comprehensive Report. , Bad Breath Problem and its Effect on Social Life of Modern Society. “Oh God I feel so bad while talking to my friends my bad breath is bothering me” Every month patients come into my clinic with a question; how to get rid of bad breath? Most of them expect me to give some magical medicine which can cure their bad breath. I’m telling you the same answer what I tell them- People suffer from bad breath due to different reasons, and reasons for bad breath should be diagnosed and eliminated for permanent treatment.From various data it is indicated that most of the people suffer from bad breath for several years before seeking professional treatment. There is no gender predominance and patients are from age groups 5 to 80 yr. Patients are not only from the poor socioeconomic strata but from good social class too. Bad breath causes social problem among 50% of the people in developed countries. Americans alone spend 1 billion dollar per year on deodorant like mouth rinses, OTC products and home remedies for bad breath in attempt to mask it or cure it. It would be very good if this 1 billion dollar could be spend on proper diagnosis and professional care instead of spending money on temporary solutions for bad breath treatment. Instead of asking how to avoid bad breath you should ask how to treat bad breath. This problem have serious socio psychological effect on the person who is suffering from it, lack of confidence in social and personal relationship is seen in these subjects. Two major behavioral changes are- They avoid talking in a social group and they avoid close contacts in personal relationships. This problem can also define how others behave with these people; some people may avoid talking with person who is suffering from bad breath and spouse may even avoid kissing.Bad Breath can be defined as- The subjective perception after smelling someone’s breath. It can be unpleasant or even disturbing, it is also called as bad breath, oral malodor and halitosis The Chemistry of Bad Breath- What things makes your breath smell bad? This part of the report contains scientific words but I expect that you will be able to understand at least the basic reasons of bad breath.Volatile sulfur compounds like- Hydrogen sulfide, Methylmercaptan, Dimethyl sulfide are few key agents which can be blamed for reasons of bad breath. Other chemicals like Putrescine, Cadaverine, indol, skatole, butyric or propionic acid are also responsible for halitosis or bad breath. These chemicals are generated by bacteria through the process of putrefaction of peptides which are present in the saliva, shed epithelium, gingival crevicular fluid, interdental plaque, food debris, post nasal drip and blood. Gram negative anaerobic bacteria have ability to do this kind of activity. Causes of Bad Breath Causes can be broadly divided into two parts 1. Intraoral causes (which are present in the mouth), 2. Extraoral causes (these originates at places other than mouth). Intraoral Causes Dentition- Irregularly placed teeth increases the chance of food accumulation and debris formation, Presence of plaque on teeth- this can be removed by proper oral hygiene methods, Presence of calculus on teeth- this can’t be removed by brushing, professional cleaning or scaling is needed. Deep cavities causes food lodgment and its decaying causes bad smell, Interdental spacing causes food accumulation and difficulty in cleaning the tooth and hence result in plaque formation and decaying,Prosthesis- Large number of fillings which nay have leaking markings, Ill fitting crowns and bridges which causes food accumulation and debris accumulation between them, Dentures which are kept in mouth over night or not cleaned regularly can also produce bad smell in mouth.Periodontal infection- Patients suffering from periodontitis (inflammation and deep infection of gums )or gingivitis (inflammation or superficial infection of gums) show increased level of oral malodor, this is due to presence of anaerobic bacteria which produce volatile sulfur compounds, deeper the periodontal problem more bacteria and more bad breath will be present. This is most common and major cause of bad breath among huge number of people.Dry mouth- It is also called as Xerostomia, patients salivary gland doesn’t function properly resulting in insufficient saliva production this intern result in accumulation of large amount of plaque accumulation on teeth prosthesis and tongue. Increased microbial activity and release of volatile sulfur compound becomes the reasons for bad breath.Tongue and Tongue Coating- Tongue have large number of papillae which have central crater and lifted border this makes tongue a rough surface tongue have tendency to accumulate debris and coating, those who forget to clean there tongue or those who don’t clean there tongue will suffer from bad breath. There are some conditions like fissurated tongue, scrotal tongue and hairy tongue increases the debris retention and problem. Extraoral Causes- Ear, Nose, Throat- Acute Pharyngitis (inflammation and infection of back part of the throat), purulent sinusitis (chronic discharge from sinus into oral and nasal cavity), post nasal drip (due to sinusitis), regurgitation esophagitis ( acid reflux from the stomach into the throat and mouth), Ozena ( atrophic condition of nasal mucosa causing crust formation and strong bad breath), Chronic tonsillitis, Bronchi and Lung- Some conditions like chronic bronchitis, bronchiectasis, bronchial carcinoma causes halitosis.Liver- Patients suffering from liver insufficiency (like cirrhosis, will result in increased ammonium content in their blood which is exhaled in breathed air resulting in one of the causes of halitosis.Kidney- Conditions like Chronic glomerulonephritis which result in kidney insufficiency will lead to increased uric acid level which will be exhaled in breathed air and cause bad breath. How to cure bad breath or halitosis After reading the above report now you know that to get rid of bad breath you must first diagnose the cause and then get a targeted treatment for it. Let's discuss how to get rid of bad breath which are originating from intraoral source.Following are the treatment modes. 1. Mechanical reduction of intraoral debris and microorganisms. 2. Chemical reduction of microbial load. 3. Masking the bad breath. 1. Mechanical reduction of intraoral debris and microorganisms. Proper tooth brushing technique- Person how is suffering from halitosis should start from baby steps ie. learn about proper tooth brushing technique and start brushing your tooth twice a day for at least two minutes. This habit will reduce the amount of plaque and debris to significant levels hence reducing the number of bad breath producing bacteria. Proper tongue cleaning- a tooth brush can be used to clean the surface of the tongue but a tongue scraper is better option for this work. Daily tongue cleaning has marked effect on the halitosis reduction treatment. it have added benefit of improving taste sensation. Proper interdental cleaning - Most of the people forget about interdental cleaning, but it may affect the treatment results drastically if done properly. Patient is educated to use floss to clean tight interdental areas and interdental brush is used to clean areas which have gaps. 2. Professional Cleaning, Scaling, and Root Planing. Gingivitis and Periodontitis are the major causes of bad breath or halitosis, professional periodontal therapy is needed to control the growth and multiplication of microorganisms. (One stage full mouth disinfection) combined with scaling and root plaining with the application of chlorhexidine will reduce the bad breath upto 90%. Seek a professional advice from your dentist. 3. Chemical Reduction Technique. Objective behind using chemical reduction technique is to reduce the microbial load in oral cavity but the drawback of this technique is that its effect is limited, This is why it is advice to practice this technique in conjugation with above told steps. I’m telling you few agents which can be usedChlorhexidine – Antiplaque and antigingivitis agent. Chlorhexidine mouthwash provide superior and significant reduction in volatile sulfur producing compounds, .2% chlorhexidine diluted in water can be used for oral rinse twice a day in combination with tooth brushing and tongue cleaning.Essential oils- Short term effect (3hrs) of listerin rinse was found effective in reducing bad breath upto 25%.Chlorine dioxide- It’s an oxidizing agent which can eliminate bad breath by oxidizing hydrogen sulfide, methylmercaptan, cystein. Resulting in reduced halitosis (limited effect)Triclosan- Broad spectrum antimicrobial agent of superior quality then above mentioned agents, in an experiment triclosan and .84% Zinc produced more prolonged reduction in bad breath then listerin rinse. Hydrogen Peroxide- 3% hydrogen peroxide produced impressive reduction 90% in sulfur gas that persisted for 8 hrs.Tooth paste- It have been demonstrated in various experiments that fluoride containing tooth paste and baking soda containing tooth paste has been shown to be effective upto 44% to 50% reduction in halitosis for 3 to 8 hrs.Chewing Gum- Some chewing gums which contain chlorhexidine help in reducing bad breath through both mechanical and chemical approach. There was 45% reduction in bad breath after 5min of chewing. Effects of masking agents- Masking agents are not good options to get rid of bad breath. Spray just mask the bad breath for some time and may result in even increasing the feeling of halitosis when the effect is gone. Handy remedy for bad breath in emergency situations How to get rid of bad breath when you are in a party or just before a date. I’ll give you an effective home remedy for this situation is increase water intake and put a chewing gum in your mouth chew on it for 5 minutes and spit, gargle with fresh water and then have a glass of lemon juice or orange juice. ( chewing gum will do the mechanical and chemical cleansing of your oral cavity then water will increase the flush and cleaning of debris and then orange juice will alter the ph which will control your bad breath for some time) Summary Bad breath or halitosis have severe socio psychological effects and it can also remind us about underlying medical problems, a proper diagnosis is needed for permanent cure. The most common cause of malodor is gingivitis, periodontitis and tongue coating which can be managed by full mouth one stage disinfection, scaling an root planing including use of proper oral hygiene and mouth rinses and tooth paste. For best results readers are suggested to understand the multi factorial reasons of bad breath and consult your dentist for further diagnosis and treatment. Maintain good oral hygiene and eat healthy food, get professional service for your problem. , http://bit.ly/18R7eMO , via Dental Teach " Daily Dental Info " http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=610610745630145&set=a.581318801892673.1073741846.110664842291407&type=1