Bad breath is a common health problem in society. Various factors can contribute to an offensive odor emanating from the mouth. The primary cause is the presence of anaerobic bacteria in the biofilm that forms on the tongue. These bacteria degrade the proteins present in the food, resulting in the production of some offensive gases like hydrogen sulfide, satol, et cetera.
Almost everyone experiences unpleasant mouth odor in the morning. Maintaining oral hygiene can control this. Even after cleaning their mouths, some individuals may still experience bad breath due to issues in their mouths or nearby areas. Some general disease conditions can also produce foul breath. We must identify the exact cause and treat it accordingly. We discuss some common measures to cure or reduce bad breath here.
1) Oral hygiene:
Always keep your mouth clean to minimize bacterial activity. Gargling with lukewarm water after eating is crucial. Cleaning with water is necessary even after consuming small food items such as snacks, sweets, and biscuits. Brushing should be done twice daily. People often believe that brushing in the morning enhances beauty, while brushing at night promotes good health.
2) Brushing techniques:
Follow the normal brushing technique for better results. Many people brush vigorously, causing damage to the gums. Brushing after every food and drink can damage the enamel. The bristles of the tooth brush should be smooth but firm enough to remove the food particles from the gaps. The direction of brushing is the most important thing. Brush the upper teeth downward and the lower teeth upward. This is applicable to both inner and outer surfaces. Next, we brush the crown of the teeth, moving the brush in both the anterior and posterior directions. This is applicable to both the upper and lower sets of teeth.
3) Tongue cleaning:
A white or yellowish coating on the tongue can cause bad breath. This is best marked in the morning and should be removed twice daily with the help of a tongue cleaner. Use the tongue cleaner gently to avoid damaging the tongue's taste buds.
4) Toothpick:
A toothpick is a small strip of wood or plastic with a pointed end. We use this to remove food particles lodged between the gaps. This comes in handy after consuming meat and fish. Use it gently to prevent damage to the gums.
5) Gargling:
After every meal, gargling with lukewarm water is useful. To achieve optimal results, dissolve a small amount of common salt in the lukewarm water. Different types of mouthwash are available in the market under different trade names. Gargling with mouthwash can also reduce unpleasant breath.
6) Food habits:
Protein-containing food articles are known to produce foul breath. Example: meat, milk, fish, eggs, etc. It is crucial to properly clean these food items before consuming them. Some food items are known to emit a specific smell, which may not be to everyone's liking. Raw onion is the best example. An apple a day keeps the doctor away, and a raw onion a day keeps everyone away. Small food items, such as nuts and fried items, can also cause unpleasant odors when consumed in between meals. Maintaining regularity in food timing is the most important thing.
7) Water intake:
Dryness in the mouth can create a favorable environment for bacterial activity, leading to a bad odor. Saliva keeps the mouth moist and inhibits bacterial proliferation. The body's water balance closely influences saliva production, so it's important to consume enough water to sustain saliva production.
8) Mouth freshners:
Natural and artificial mouth freshners can reduce the intensity of unpleasant breath to some extent.People commonly use spicy articles for this purpose. Chewing spices such as clove, cumin seed, cardamom, cinnamon, ginger, and so on, can be beneficial. All citrus fruits can reduce undesirable odor.Mouth fresheners and chewing gums are available in the market. While some of these products can be beneficial, it's important to use caution when using them.
If the above methods fail, what should be done?
Consider the following:
1) Remove the cause:
Some general and systemic diseases, such as diabetes, fevers, gastric disorders, and liver diseases, commonly cause bad breath. By removing or reducing the primary cause, the foul breath will go away automatically.
2) Modern medicine:
If bad breath is due to any infection, suitable antibiotics, antifungal, or anti-viral medicines will help. If any autoimmune or chronic inflamatory conditions are the cause, you may also use steroids. Saliva-producing tablets can also be used.
3) Dental cleaning:
A dentist can remove dental plaques and tartar through dental cleaning. This can reduce the severity of unpleasant breath.Visit your dentist at least once a year.
4) Filling of caries:
A dentist should fill caries, one of the main causes of bad breath. Nowadays, synthetic materials have replaced the earlier use of silver amalgam. If caries affects the pulp cavity, root canal treatment is an option.
5) Tooth extraction:
If caries is deep with the destruction of teeth with a bad smell, extraction is the better choice, and a dental implant can be kept in the gap.
6) Tonsillectomy:
Patients with recurrent tonsillitis can have foul breath due to offensive discharges and the release of pasty materials from the crypts of tonsils. Such patients get tremendous relief after tonsillectomy (removal of tonsils).
7) Psychological counseling:
Those who suffer from bad breath may be very depressed, and they should be kept away from the public. This isolation hampers their daily activities.These individuals need to understand that everyone experiences bad breath, albeit at varying intensities. Most people control it by taking personal care. Every body has a smell that others may not like. Advise them to take all necessary hygienic measures to lessen the intensity of the smell. Improving the quality of life by all possible means can also help. Such people require moral support from friends and family members.
Some individuals seek medical attention for bad breath, even when there is no significant problem. It is included under somatization disorder. They typically complain about symptoms such as pain, breathlessness, abdominal discomfort, and bad smells, among others. To rule out any real causes, a proper diagnosis is necessary. We should manage these patients using a psychological approach.
8) Homoeopathy:
Homeopathy selects medicines based on the physical, mental, emotional, and social aspects of the diseased person. We select and administer a constitutional homeopathic medicine in a suitable potency and dose, taking into account all aspects. This will solve all health-related problems, including bad breath. We can prescribe medicine to alleviate bad breath based on the coating on the tongue, the type of smell, the cause of the bad breath, and other associated complaints. In the homoeopathic medical repertory by Dr. Robin Murphy, there are 140 homoeopathic drugs mentioned for foul breath. Dr. Robin Murphy prescribes a suitable medicine based on the individual's signs and symptoms. Commonly used drugs are arnica, antim crud, pulsatilla, sulfur, psorinum, nux vomica, ars alb, merc sol, kreosot, hekla lava, silicea, asafoitida, graphites, kali bich, acid nitric, etc.
You can gargle homoeopathic mother tinctures such as cinnamon Q, kreosot Q, zingiber Q, rhus glabra Q, menthol Q, and so on after diluting them in water.
The points mentioned in this article are for general awareness. [Anybody suffering from bad breath should consult a doctor.]
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