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Thursday, December 24, 2009

What Are the Causes of Bad Breath?

Bad breath is a very big problem for a lot of people. In most cases (like 80%) the smell comes from bacteria in the mouth. To find out if you your breath stink, try take licking the back of your hand and smell it after a few minutes. You could also ask a close friend. Let's dig in and look at some of the common causes:

Bad oral hygiene:

Very often, the odor comes from bacteria in the mouth, especially on the teeth and tongue. This comes from bad oral hygiene or teeth diseases. This could also be because you have old food stuck in between your teeth. Overcome this by using dental floss regularly and drink lots of water.

Alcohol, coffee and tobacco

Another common cause is smoking. When you smoke, tar and nicotine gets on your teeth and your tongue and makes your mouth dry.

A dry mouth is the perfect living condition for the bacteria.

If you're a heavily coffee drinker, then your problem might lie there. Especially if you take milk in your coffee. You can help this by drinking a large glass of water right after your coffee. Excessive use of alcohol can also give you a really bad breath, especially if you drink over a longer period of time, but then you have another, more serious, problem.

Garlic, onions and strong food

It's no secret that garlic makes your breath stink. So if you have problems with your breath, make sure to avoid garlic, onions and other strong foods like the plague. The reason that these foods has such a profound effect on your breath, is because they contain odor-causing sulfur compounds.

Sometimes, but not often, bad breath can also have other causes that has nothing to do with your oral hygiene. It can originate from your lungs or your stomach, but that's very rare.

Saturday, December 12, 2009

Get Rid of Your Chronic Bad Breath Instantly

Do you find yourself with smelly breath even when you have kept to a strict dental hygiene? If so, you may be suffering from chronic bad breath. The way to get rid of your chronic bad breath instantly lies in your ability to identify the main cause of your breath condition.

For a start, you can check with your dentist if you are suffering from any gum disease. If your gums tend to bleed after brushing, your gums may need further examinations. This is because gum disease may signal something more serious such as kidney or liver disorder. Most of us cannot tell the cause just from our gums so the best way is to consult your doctor.

Another common cause is sinus infection. This tends to happen when too much of your mucus is left in your nasal tracts. The bacteria residing in them break them down and release foul smelling gases through your breath. Your doctor may administer nasal spray to help you clear your nasal tract.

If you do not suffer from any of the above medical conditions, your chronic bad breath could be due to your diet. Certain foods like garlic and onion could be drying your mouth out. As such, bacteria in your mouth may start to multiply in numbers causing your breath to be less than nice smelling. If you are wondering if you are indeed suffering from bad breath, you may want to consider using a haliometer. This device tracks your sulfur dioxide levels and gives you a reading to tell you how smelly your breath is.

Tuesday, December 8, 2009

Do You Have Chronic Bad Breath?

Chronic bad breath is something we can have without being aware of it. The fact is that we are unable smell our own breath, so we wouldn't know unless another person told us. Unlike our own body odor, which we can often smell on ourselves, it is rare that we can smell your own offensive breath.

This is not a usual situation. Everyone knows about your problem, but you can't talk to them about it. You can't bring yourself to ask them "Is my breath smelly?" because you feel no one would want to help you.

However, in the event that you have been told that you have this embarrassing problem, what can you do about it?

Chronic bad breath is a condition that is usually been treated orally. Once you are aware of the problem you brush more and longer, you floss more and no doubt you use more mouthwash. You consult with your dentist and ensure that all your teeth are in good shape and that you aren't suffering from periodontal disease.

But what if, after all of that, the problem persists? Unfortunately there are people who even with the best dental care and hygiene still have an awfully offensive breath!

People in this situation usually find that the answer lies within - literally. Their halitosis is caused by the food they eat. Some foods or combinations of foods can generate offensive gases in the stomach which can then be carried by the bloodstream into the lungs and so produce an offensive breath.

The types of foods that can cause this problem vary from person to person and so it is essential, if this is the root cause of your bad breath problem, that you consult your doctor.