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Common Cures for Bad Breath (Halitosis)
Bad breath is a common healthproblem in the society. Offensive smell from the mouth may be due to various reasons.The main reason is the presence of anaerobic bacteria in the biofilm formed onthe tongue.
These bacteria degrades theproteins present in the food resulting in the production of some offensivegases like hydrogen sulphide, skatol.
Bad odor from the mouth inthe early morning is seen in almost all individuals. This can be controlled bymaintaining oral hygiene. Even after cleaning the mouth some individuals maysuffer from bad breath due to some problems in the mouth or in the nearbyareas. Some general disease condition can also produce bad breath. Exact causehas to be identified and should be treated accordingly.
Some common measures to cure or reduce bad breath arediscussed here:
1) Oral hygiene.
Mouth should be kept cleanevery time to reduce the bacterial action. After eating, gargling with lukewarmwater is very essential. Even after eating snacks, sweets, biscuits, cleaningwith water is needed. Brushing should be done twice daily. It is said thatearly morning brushing is for beauty and bed time brushing is for good health.
2) Brushing techniques.
Normal brushing techniqueshould be followed for better results. Many people brush vigorously causingdamage to the gums. Brushing after every food and drink can damage the enamel. Bristlesof the tooth brush should be smooth but hard enough to remove the foodparticles from the gaps. The direction of brushing is the most important thing.
The upper teeth should bebrushed in a downward direction and the lower in upward direction. This isapplicable to both inner and outer surfaces. Next comes the crown of the teeth:here brushing is done in anterior and posterior direction keeping the brush insame direction. This is applicable to both upper and lower set of teeth.
3) Tongue cleaning.
White or yellowish coating onthe tongue can cause bad breath. This is more well marked in the morning andshould be removed twice daily with the help of a tongue cleaner. Tongue cleanersmust be used gently without damaging the taste buds on the tongue.
4) Tooth picks.
Tooth pick is a small stripof wood or plastic with a pointed end and is used to remove food particleslodged between the gaps. Very useful after eating meat and fish, should be usedgently to avoid damage to gums.
5) Gargling.
After every meal garglingwith lukewarm water is useful. For better result common salt is dissolved inthe lukewarm water. Different types of mouth wash are available in the marketin different trade names. Gargling with mouth wash can also reduce bad breath.
6) Food habits.
Some food articles are knownto produce particular smell which may be unpleasant for others. Raw onion isthe best example. It is said that an apple a day keeps the doctor away and araw onion a day keeps everybody away. Maintaining regularity in food timing isthe most important thing.
7) Water intake.
Dryness in the mouth can be afavorable condition for the bacterial activity resulting in bad odor. Saliva isneeded to keep the mouth moist and to reduce the bacterial proliferation. Productionof saliva is closely related with water balance of the body and hencesufficient quantity of water should be taken to maintain the production ofsaliva.
8) Mouth fresheners.
Natural and artificial mouth freshenerscan reduce the intensity of bad breath to some extent. Spicy articles arecommonly used for this purpose. Chewing spices like clove, cumin seed, cardamom,cinnamon, and ginger can be useful. All citrus fruits can reduce bad odor. Mouthfresheners and chewing gums are available in the market. These products arealso helpful, but some may cause damage hence should be used with caution.
If the above things don't work what should I do?
Consider the following:
1) Remove the cause.
Bad breath is common in somegeneral and systemic diseases like diabetes, fevers, gastric disorders, liverdiseases. By removing or reducing the primary cause the bad breath will goautomatically.
2) Modern medicine.
If bad breath is due to anyinfection, suitable antibiotics, anti fungal or anti viral medicines will help.If it is due to any autoimmune or chronic inflammatory conditions steroids mayalso be used. Saliva producing tablets can also be used.
3) Dental cleaning.
Dental cleaning done by adentist can remove the dental plaques and tartar. This can reduce the severityof bad breath. Visit your dentist at least once a year.
4) Filling of caries.
Since caries are one of themain causes of bad breath it should be filled by a dentist. Earlier silveramalgam was used; nowadays it is replaced by synthetic materials. If the pulpcavity is affected by the caries, root canal treatment can be done.
5) Tonsillectomy.
Patients with recurrenttonsillitis can have bad breath due to offensive discharges and release ofpasty materials from the crypts of tonsils. Such patients get great reliefafter tonsillectomy (removal of tonsils).
6) Psychological counseling.
Those who suffer from badbreath may be very much depressed and they are away from the public. Thisisolation hampers their day-to-day activities. Such people should understandthe fact that all human beings are having bad breath, but with slightdifferences in intensities. They should be advised to do all hygienic measuresto reduce the intensity of smell. Improving the quality of life by all possiblemeans can also help. Moral support from friends and family members is neededfor such people.
Some individuals visit thedoctor for bad breath without any real problem. It is included undersomatisation disorder. They usually complain about pain, breathlessness, abdominaldiscomfort, bad smell. Proper diagnosis is needed to rule out any real causes. Thesepatients should be managed with a psychological approach.
7) Homoeopathy.
In Homoeopathy, medicines areselected on the basis of physical, mental, emotional and social aspects of theperson. Considering the whole aspects a constitutional homoeopathic medicine isselected and given in suitable potency and dose. By this all health relatedproblems including bad breath will be solved. On the basis of coating on thetongue, type of smell, cause for bad breath and other associated complaints amedicine can be given to get relief from bad breath.
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