Bad breath(halitosis)

Bad breath (halitosis) is a common problem, which often comes from the activity of bacteria in the mouth. Although there is no way of knowing for sure, most adults probably suffer from bad breath occasionally, with perhaps a quarter suffering on a regular basis.

In the past, bad breath was often considered to be an incurable affliction. However, in recent years it has become increasingly evident that bad breath is usually treatable once a proper diagnosis is made.

The main problem is knowing whether we have it or not, because we are poor judges of our own breath odor. Some people suffer from bad breath without knowing it, while others build up exaggerated fears about breath odor even though they do not have it. The best way to find out whether we have bad breath is to ask for someone else's opinion. If we don't ask, other people are unlikely to tell us. And since bad breath can sometimes - fortunately rarely - be a sign of a significant general health problem, we should not be reluctant to tell people dear to us that they have a bad breath problem.

If you have reason to believe that there is a problem, then see your dentist first, since bad breath often comes from the mouth itself.

Most cases of bad breath appear to be due to the breakdown of proteins by a variety of microorganisms. Several of the breakdown products are foul smelling gases.

In people with healthy teeth and gums, the odor usually comes from the far back region of the tongue, and grows stronger when the patient starts talking. The dentist can sample this area using a plastic spoon. The odor coming from the spoon sample may then be compared to the overall odor. Although we do not know why, the very back of the tongue is an important source of bad breath, possibly as a result of postnasal drip, which can get stuck on the tongue and is then broken down by bacteria on the tongue surface.

If the back of the tongue is the problem, then the dentist can recommend a method of cleaning the area, either with a toothbrush, or a specially designed tongue scraper (in some countries, tongue cleaning is a common and ancient practice). It takes time and patience to overcome the gagging reflex. But, eventually, tongue cleaning becomes easy. Care should be taken to clean the back of the tongue thoroughly yet gently, without inflicting pain or sores

In some people, bad breath is associated with gum disease, especially if rubbing the areas between the teeth and gums yields a foul odor. Your dentist can help prevent and treat gum diseases in various ways, depending on the type and extent of the problem, but your own daily home care makes all the difference in the world in maintaining gum health between appointments. Cleaning of the spaces between the teeth is of great importance. One home tip to healthy gums (and less bad breath) is to smell the odor coming from the dental floss, and to work to clean those areas more carefully.