Bad Breath or Halitosis is the unpleasant odour naturally caused by oral dryness, stress, hunger or certain items like garlic and onions or smoking and poor oral care.

Symptoms of Bad Breath –

White or Yellow Film on the tongue, Post Nasal Drainage, White Nodules on the Tonsils, Dry Mouth and Bitter, Sour or Metallic Tastes are some of the common symptoms.

1. One of the most common symptoms, the film forms due to nasal mucous and bacteria accumulation on the tongue especially the backside. Removing it is not the complete solution as these bacteria are found in the entire mouth and the saliva. Longer or larger taste buds (also called papillae) in some people traps more bacteria. People suffering from post nasal (mucous) drainage tend to have these films on the tongue.

2. Post Nasal Drainage causes due to sinus and allergies, where a thick mucous drains down the throat from sinus or nasal areas, that typically contains bacteria and proteins. These proteins break down into amino acids that promote the bacterial growth and the mucous also protect the bacteria from oxygen resulting in the bacteria causing halitosis. This causes the person to clear his throat frequently. Hydro Pulse sinus irrigator and Breathe-Ease XL saline powder help in reducing the drainage.

3. Tonsils secrete white ‘smelly’ nodules that usually go unobserved as they are swallowed, but are noticed only when they get dislodged. They may be of 1mm-4mm in size and can be noticed only when placed at the entrance of nostrils. Removing the tonsils themselves would not be solution in many cases.

4. Dry mouth or Xerostomia is one of the main causes of halitosis caused due to ageing, medications, insufficient fluid intake. Dry mouth causes concentration of bacteria in the saliva that readily evaporate resulting in stronger bad breath. It also causes the alteration of acid / base balance in the mouth nurturing bacterial growth. Less saliva causes accumulation of more bacteria and cellular debris.

5. Bad tastes like bitter, sour or even metallic tastes in the mouth are caused due to drainage in the sinus, medications dry mouth, dental infections or oral bacteria. Dry mouth is the main cause of bad tastes. However, not all causes of bad tastes produce bad breath, so bad tastes as a symptom may be misleading at times.

Bad breath solutions

Millions of people suffer with embarrassing bad breath. Bad breath usually originates from one of two sources, namely through certain foods that we eat or by bacteria in our mouths that feed on left over food particles. We eat a meal and then suffer with embarrassing bad breath later. The culprits - certain foods like garlic and cabbage, which contain sulfur compounds. When liberated these sulfur compounds cause breath to smell bad. This liberation of sulfur compounds occurs as foods are digested. The sulfur compounds are absorbed from the digestive system into the bloodstream and carried to the lungs. Here they are eliminated by the lungs in the air that we exhale giving us bad breath!

Ways to remove bad breath

We can remove bad breath through one option that is to avoid the foods that cause bad breath such as cabbage and onions. Alternatively, you can use one of several new products on the market, which attack and neutralize the sulfur compounds while they are in the blood. Bacteria feed on bits of food left on teeth after meals. Unappreciative guests, these bacteria create unstable sulfur compounds as a result of their feasting. These volatile sulfur compounds give breath its foul odor. Oxygen is fatal to many of these bacteria. To escape, these bacteria hide in places where oxygen cannot reach - under plaque and food debris, in the spaces between the teeth and gums, and in the deep crevices of the tongue.

Saliva and other symptoms

Dieting, fasting, or talking for long periods of time reduce saliva flow and contribute to bad breath. Certain medications, alcohol consumption, and breathing through the nose during exercise also dry the mouth contributing to the problem. Saliva flow increases when we eat or drink. If you are dieting, fasting, or talking for long periods drink water to stimulate saliva flow and moisten your mouth. The water will also wash away food and bacteria that contribute to bad breath. Placing a drop of lemon juice on the tip of your tongue or chewing sugarless gum also stimulates saliva flow. Other symptoms associated with periodontal disease includes, Swollen or bleeding gums, tender gums, Loosening and shifting teeth, Sensitive teeth and pain while chewing.

Possibility of treatment of bad breath

As bad breath is almost always caused by a problem in the mouth, it is helpful to visit a dentist. One should not try to mask the odor before the visit as it needs to be as typical as possible. If there is any dental treatment required eliminating disease or avoiding food stagnation areas, this will be carried out. If no oral cause can be identified by the dentist, it may be necessary to attend a clinic that specializes in breath odors, or to visit other health professionals. Some people become excessively concerned about bad breath, in which case a psychological professional can help put what may in reality be a minor problem into perspective.