Bad Breath from Bad Habits.

I was at a party recently with a group of friends. After discussing a few topics, John said, "By the way, I have a question. What makes people’s mouths smell? "

“I have a co-worker whose mouth seems to smell when you move close to him, and I realized I'm not the only one that has noticed. Bruno also said the same last week. No one wants to have a chat with him. "

“Oh?”, I urged him on.?

“I don’t think he brushes well. Or maybe he has something else in his mouth that stinks. I should refer him to you, anyway. "

"Well, there are a lot of things that could cause that. It's called "bad breath.", I replied.?

"Tell us more about that. Maybe I'll educate a few people around me as well.", Dan chipped in.?

I then took it upon myself to educate them to an extent. And I'd like to share it with you as well.?

So, what is bad breath??

Bad breath, also known as oral malodour, is medically called halitosis. It can be embarrassing and has been known to have psychological effects. There is a wide range of causes. It can result from poor dental health habits or the intake of certain medications. It may also be a pointer to other health conditions such as periodontal disease, diabetes, bowel obstruction, and respiratory tract infection.?

Let’s take a look at some habits that may give you bad breath:?

1. Not brushing adequately or not brushing at all: Brushing is supposed to last for 2 to 3 minutes with the proper technique. If you do not take time to brush your teeth the right way or for the appropriate duration, over time, you are likely to develop bad breath. There will be an accumulation of food particles that decay and give off a bad smell. Accumulation of plaque and calculus (dental tartar) will also occur, and cause bad breath.

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2. Not brushing your tongue: I've heard many people say they are not aware that the tongue should be brushed too! Well, in case you are also not aware, brushing the tongue properly, is as important as brushing the teeth. Many food and other particles end up on the tongue and stay there until removed during cleaning. By not cleaning the tongue properly, the particles will have a field day stinking up the mouth.

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3. Not taking enough water: In simple terms, if you do not take enough water, your mouth will be dry. When the mouth is continuously dry, it is known as xerostomia (this can result from other causes as well). Xerostomia is a recipe for bad breath because a dry mouth is the best environment for odour-causing bacteria to flourish. Water remains essential. Right?!?

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4. Improper denture hygiene: For denture wearers, if you do not clean your dentures regularly or properly, or leave them in your mouth for days without removing them, they will accumulate enough food particles and dirt to decay and cause the mouth to smell. And you do not want that.?

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5. Consuming spicy and sugary foods: Eating foods that contain large amounts of spices like garlic and onions, or eating these spices raw, will definitely give you bad breath. They should be cut to a minimum if you do not want that. Excessive consumption of sticky sweets, chocolates, or sugary foods can also lead to this.?

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6. Crash diets and fasting: Fasting for long periods, which often includes skipping breakfast (yes, skipping breakfast!), and low-carbohydrate diet programs can lead to bad breath. This is due to the breakdown of fats, producing chemicals called ketones, which have a strong aroma.?

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7. Social habits: Social habits like tobacco smoking and alcohol consumption can also give you bad breath. Both smoking and alcohol consumption, particularly in excess, cause a decrease in saliva production. A decrease in saliva production results in dry mouth, and we all know what happens when there's dry mouth, right??

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