Halitosis aka mouth odour aka bad breath.

No one likes being told they have mouth odor but when you're ignorant of the fact - or its causes and treatment, it can lead to uneasiness or chagrin and could result in turning off those around you.

Everybody has bad breath at some point, for instance when you get out of bed in the morning. Nonetheless, maintaining a healthy dental culture makes it non existent after the morning brush.

95% of we Nigerians don't schedule dentist appointments. Most people only remember such a thing as a dentist's office when we have severe toothache. More than half of so called dentists are quacks anyway, the other half charges more than the average Nigerian patient can afford. About 50% of us brush just once a day. Twice a day is wasting the toothpaste (or perhaps you're just showing off to your new girlfriend lol) while the concept of flossing is as foreign as the thought of snowfall. Mouthwashes though are becoming increasingly popular.

Good dental practices shouldn't be limited to a particular class in society. It doesn't cost an arm or a leg to take care of the teeth and gums, neither does it take any time at all off our busy schedules.

Let's first discuss causes of mouth odour.

Research has shown that about 80% of bad breath isn't in depth. It come from the mouth. For instance, cavities or gum disease can lead to bad breath, as can tonsils that have trapped food particles; cracked fillings, and less-than-clean dentures.

Several internal medical conditions also cause your breath to go bad. Persistent bad breath or a bad taste in the mouth may be a warning sign of gum (periodontal) disease. Gum disease is caused by the buildup of plaque on teeth. Bacteria cause the formation of toxins, which irritate the gums. If gum disease continues untreated, it can damage the gums and jawbone.

Other dental causes of bad breath include poorly fitting dental appliances or dentures, yeast infections of the mouth, and dental caries (cavities).

The medical condition dry mouth(also called xerostomia) also can cause bad breath. Saliva is necessary to moisten the mouth, neutralize acids produced by plaque, and wash away dead cells that accumulate on the tongue, gums, and cheeks. If not removed, these cells decompose and can cause bad breath. Dry mouth may be a side effect of various medications, salivary gland problems, or continuous breathing through the mouth.

Many other diseases and illnesses may cause bad breath. Here are some to be aware of: respiratory tract infections such as pneumonia or bronchitis, chronic sinus infections, postnasal drip, diabetes, chronic acid reflux, and liver or kidney problems.

Fix it.

Like earlier mentioned, good oral hygiene is really important. Ideally, you should brush and floss after every meal to help reduce the odor-causing bacteria in your mouth. If you don't brush and floss teeth daily, food particles can remain in your mouth, promoting bacterial growth between teeth, around the gums, and on the tongue. This causes bad breath.

In addition, odor-causing bacteria and food particles can cause bad breath if dentures are not properly cleaned. While a regular toothbrush works just as well if you use it as recommended, an electric toothbrush is way better, for two obvious reasons.

"First, because many electric toothbrushes have timers on them and the majority of people do not brush their teeth for the right length of time. And secondly, because electric toothbrushes distribute a uniform motion, which I find helps remove plaque more efficiently than when my patients use manual toothbrushes."

Brush twice a day with fluoride toothpaste to remove food debris and plaque. Brush teeth after you eat (keep a toothbrush at work or school to brush after lunch). Don't forget to brush the tongue, too. Replace your toothbrush every 3 months or after an illness. Use floss or an interdental cleaner to remove food particles and plaque between teeth once a day. Rinse with an antibacterial mouthwash twice a day. Dentures should be removed at night and cleaned thoroughly before being placed in your mouth the next morning.

Stick to an antiseptic or antibacterial rinse that kills bacteria, rather than a cosmetic rinse that just focuses on freshening the breath.

Watch What You Eat

What you eat affects what you exhale. That's because as food is digested, it's absorbed into your bloodstream and then is expelled by your lungs when you breathe. Basically, all the food eaten begins to be broken down in your mouth. If you eat foods with strong odors (such as garlic or onions), brushing and flossing -- even mouthwash -- merely covers up the odor temporarily. The odor will not go away completely until the foods have passed through your body. Chronic garlic users cannot only have chronic bad breath, they also often have body odor.

Eat a healthy, balanced diet and regular meals. Certain diets -- such as extreme fasting and very low-carb diets -- can give you bad-smelling breath.

Consider snacking on raw carrots, celery, or apple slice.

Here are a half dozen more ways to banish bad breath - hopefully for good.

Stay hydrated. If you can't brush your teeth after a meal, drinking a lot of water can help speed up the process of cleaning harmful bacteria and debris from between your teeth. Drinking milk can even help deodorize some offensive breath odors. Avoid sugary drinks.

Don't drink too much coffee. It may be tasty, but coffee is a tough smell to get off the back of your tongue. Consider switching to an herbal or green tea, Frangella says.

Don't smoke. Smoking or chewing tobacco-based products also can cause bad breath, stain teeth, reduce your ability to taste foods, and irritate your gums.

Cut back on alcohol. Alcohol can lead to a dry mouth. Too much beer, wine, and hard liquor can make your breath reek for up to eight to 10 hours after you finish drinking.

Chew sugarless gum. Doing so 20 minutes after a meal can help with saliva flow. Gum that's 100% xylitol-sweetened can help reduce cavities, but it's also kind of cooling and gives you really nice fresh breath.

Be careful with breath mints. Sugar-free mints are OK for a quick fix but only mask the offensive smell and don't do anything to remove harmful bad bacteria. Tempted to pick up a sugary mint as you leave your favorite restaurant? Don't. The sugar will only sit on your teeth and make the problem worse.

https://healthtryps./

SINUS INFECTION:

If you have bad breath, you've probably tried breath mints, chewing gum, mouthwashes and improved oral hygiene to cure it. ... You may not realize, but blocked sinus is one of the bad breath causes dentists see often. Post nasal drip bad breath can cause bad taste and is associated with chronic nasal infection


This is a bacteria infection most Nigerians do not treat or are unaware of.

No matter how many times you brush you teeth and tongue, if you have sinus or chronic sinus infection, forget it, very bad smell will be oozing out from your nose and mouth.

WisePer:
SINUS INFECTION:

If you have bad breath, you've probably tried breath mints, chewing gum, mouthwashes and improved oral hygiene to cure it. ... You may not realize, but blocked sinus is one of the bad breath causes dentists see often. Post nasal drip bad breath can cause bad taste and is associated with chronic nasal infection


This is a bacteria infection most Nigerians do not treat or are unaware of.

No matter how many times you brush you teeth and tongue, if you have sinus or chronic sinus infection, forget it, very bad smell will be oozing out from your nose and mouth.

Thank you for your contribution. Maxiliary Sinusitis. Something for your local dentist.