How to Fight Bad Breath

                

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For decades, ever since halitosis was identified as a social and personal problem, people have been asking how to fight bad breath - and looking to science and medicine to provide real answers to the problem. Scientific knowledge of halitosis has advanced steadily so that we now know what causes bad breath, and with that information we are closer than ever to finding a way to get rid of it.

Dr. J. Tonzetich is credited with discovering the bacterial cause of bad breath in 1964, a big step toward the development of an effective bad breath medicine. In classic bad breath, the bad odor is produced by the proliferation of anaerobic oral bacteria, that is, bacteria that live in the mouth and throat - in the creases of the gums, between the teeth, and especially on the surface of the tongue. These bacteria live on proteins that they find in the mouth and produce sulfur compounds as a byproduct of their metabolism. In exploring how to fight bad breath, investigators must find ways to remove or reduce the odor reducing bacteria.

In most people, the immune system keeps populations of oral bacteria in check without the need for bad breath medicine. A healthy body with a healthy mouth should not have a problem. In some people, however, things go off kilter and it's not clear why. Current research is now suggesting that lifestyle and dietary factors may play a role, as they do with many health problems. A permanent health solution that tells us how to fight bad breath may include better eating habits, abstaining from smoking and alcohol, and getting lots of physical activity.

At present, there are many commercial products available as bad breath medicine. Those that are likely to be the most useful to chronic halitosis sufferers are products that destroy or remove the odor producing bacteria. Scientists working on the problem have thought of many innovative approaches to the challenge of how to fight bad breath. Some mouthwashes have antibacterial chemicals as active ingredients, while others deliver oxygen to the mouth to wipe out the bacteria that live in the absence of oxygen. Still others mop up bacteria with oil and carry them away.

Any of these approaches or something yet to come may turn out to be the best solution to the problem of how to fight bad breath - we don't have the perfect bad breath medicine just yet. Today's products are far better than those of the past, however. A persistent approach using one of these remedies should keep halitosis under control.

R. Drysdale is a freelance writer with more than 25 years experience as a health care professional. She is a contributing editor to How to Fight Bad Breath, a blog dedicated to the treatment of bad breath

Bad Breath Picture

                

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What would a bad breath picture look like? Obviously it's impossible to take a picture of an odor: we can't see a smell. The mention of bad breath, however, does conjure up a mental picture - perhaps a picture of people stepping back or leaning away from someone they're having a conversation with; perhaps a picture of swollen inflamed gums and decaying teeth; perhaps a picture of a sleep-disheveled person gargling with mouthwash in front of the mirror in the morning. It's likely different for everyone.

A bad breath tester would be helpful because many people believe that they have bad breath when they don't, and they often get that impression because people step away from them when they speak. In reality the movement is often involuntary or, at worst, the cause is an odor of garlic or onions, cigarette smoke, or some other transient breath odor. The mental bad breath picture of people moving away when you speak is misleading, and it contributes to a general mentality that everyone's breath smells bad.

In reality, everyone's breath does smell bad - sometimes. For most people it's an occasional thing and not something to worry about. And unfortunately, there's really no such thing as a personal bad breath tester. Some authorities suggest licking your wrist and then smelling that to judge just how bad the bad breath picture is. This may or may not work - if your suspicion that you have bad breath is based on an unpleasant taste in your mouth, perhaps from onions, strong cheese, or dry mouth from a head cold, your nose is unlikely to be able to overcome what your tongue is telling you.

A better bad breath tester is a physician or a good friend. Someone else's nose is a much better judge than your own. Pick someone you trust to give you the true bad breath picture and, preferably, ask them to check on several different occasions so you will know whether the problem is ongoing or transient. This should help you to figure out if it is associated with some thing you are eating or perhaps another personal habit, or if the problem is an ongoing one that requires treatment.

If your bad breath tester is a doctor or a dentist, and the bad breath picture is, well, bad, use the opportunity to discuss possible health causes and the best approach to treatment. If you've used the good nature of a close friend, make an appointment with your doctor or dentist before trying over the counter or mail order products, just to be sure there isn't some important health consideration you've missed.

R. Drysdale is a freelance writer with more than 25 years experience as a health care professional. She is a contributing editor to Bad Breath Picture, a blog dedicated to the treatment of bad breath.

 

Bad Breath Herbal Remedy

                

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Anyone who suffers from a chronic case of halitosis might well doubt that anything as simple as a bad breath herbal remedy could work. Surprisingly, there is a long list of herbal remedies for bad breath that have been passed down to us through folklore, gathered from various cultures, or recently discovered. All of them are worth consideration if you are looking for a long term treatment for bad breath and you don't want to rely on chemical antiseptic products, or if you are seeking a natural short term breath freshener.

Perhaps one of the best known herbal remedies is bad breath chlorophyll treatment, probably because chlorophyll has been used in commercial breath products. The idea behind chlorophyll, a pigment naturally produced by green plants, is that it reacts with odor causing molecules and removes them. Chlorophyll has been used to reduce body odor and fecal odors, and is a favorite with deer hunters who smoke (it apparently is very effective at masking the odor of tobacco smoke on a hunter's breath, which might be detected by the deer). As a bad breath herbal remedy, chlorophyll's greatest strength probably lies in similar situations: temporary breath odors caused by foods like garlic and onions, or by smoking.

Among the traditional bad breath herbal remedy examples we find chewing mint, parsley, or dill leaves; sucking or chewing a clove; chewing dill or anise seeds; drinking tea made with coriander, sage, or dill, and rinsing with lemon juice. Clearly these plants all have something in common: they all have a strong and relatively pleasant aroma of their own that, like bad breath chlorophyll treatments, will help to mask bad breath at least for a while. In addition, however, many of them do have proven antiseptic qualities, which may make them valid alternatives to antiseptic mouthwash if the aim is to kill off the oral bacteria that produce breath odor. It's important to remember, however, that many herbs and spices, normally used in small amounts in cooking, have toxic properties when used in large amounts. Before using any herbal remedy in larger quantities, thoroughly investigate its safety and consult an herbalist if possible.

Like bad breath chlorophyll products, a few other herbs and medicinal plants have been incorporated into commercial products marketed for bad breath. Eucalyptus oil is one of these, often used in mouthwashes over the years. New dietary supplements incorporate St. John's wort, licorice root, Echinacea, ginger, and ginseng. Parsley, meanwhile, is being processed to produce parsley oil capsules, now commonly marketed as a bad breath herbal remedy. And a new essential oil that has antibacterial, antifungal, and antiviral properties is also commercially refined and recommended (in small amounts) for bad breath: tea tree oil.

Always consult your doctor before taking any remedy or supplement on an ongoing basis, particularly if you are pregnant or have other health issues.

R. Drysdale is a freelance writer with more than 25 years experience as a health care professional. She is a contributing editor to Bad Breath Herbal Remedy, a blog dedicated to the treatment of bad breath.