Everyone experiences bad breath from time to time, however it's estimated that up to 25% of adults suffer from chronic bad breath. There are many contributing factors to halitosis, or bad breath and most are not serious, usually arising from the growth of oral bacteria.
Oral hygiene does in fact contribute to the majority of malodorous conditions in the mouth. Eating certain kinds of foods including garlic, onion and curry are notorious for causing bad breath. These foods, after circulating through the bloodstream, exit the body through the lungs and eventually the mouth. They tasted good deal better going down and they do coming up.
Also any condition which causes the drying of the mouth will contribute to bad breath. Saliva is a natural digestive enzyme. Anything that inhibits saliva production will create a fertile breeding ground for the bacteria that reside on the back of your teeth and tongue. These bacteria, found in plaque, produce a sulfur compound which most people tend to find unpleasant.
Conditions which contribute to the drying of saliva include many medications, especially diuretics, antihistamines, antidepressants and many of the new drugs that are blasted all over the television. Check the contraindications on any medication you are considering purchasing to see if one of its side effects is dry mouth.
Another condition contributing to dry mouth and the resultant halitosis is age. As we get older, we seem to produce less saliva, enabling the bacteria to grow and the breath of many seniors to become less fresh.
Improved oral hygiene will eliminate most bad breath. Dentists recommend brushing after every meal for a minimum of three minutes and of course, flossing at least daily. It's also recommended that you purchase a new toothbrush every three or four months.
One can also eliminate normal bad breath by increasing your fluid intake, and rinsing your mouth after eating any dairy product fish product or meat product. The added consumption of fibrous vegetables is also recommended.
It's also important to clean your tongue. This can be done with a toothbrush or a tongue scraper. Mouthwash will work as well.
So far we've discussed only normal, average every day bad breath, not chronic bad breath. It's estimated however that a percentage of bad breath is caused by more serious dental conditions, such as gum disease. If you're experiencing chronic bad breath, and the cause is gum disease, it will not be getting any better without intervention from a dentist. The sooner you visit a dentist, the sooner the problem will be eliminated.Your dentist has many options for elimentating malodorous gum disease.
Chronic bad breath isn't always produced in the mouth though. Chronic bad breath could also be a symptom of a larger medical condition. Indigestion, heartburn, acid reflux, lactose intolerance, food allergies may all contribute to producing that unpleasant odor in your mouth.
My advice is to attend to basic and appropriate oral hygiene as a first-line of defense. If you do not believe the problems to be dental, or dietary, a trip to your physician is your next step, for chronic bad breath may affect more than just your social life it may be an alarm bell which if not answered will impact your health and very life as well.
Jeff Wise is neither a physician, nor a scientist. He is however, someone who's spent the better part of the last thirty years researching and reporting on the simplest and most effective methods of dealing with life's problems and conditions. You can see more simple remedies on his Web Site http://simple-remedies.com or see his choice of the simplest remedy for chronic bad breath at: http://nicebreath.simple-remedies.com