“Oral
Malodor” or “Breath Odor” or “Bad Breath” is a very common among dental
problems. In daily routine we dentists got many questions regarding this unpleasant condition as it is a source of embarrassment for the sufferer. On an average, it is estimated
to affect 50 to 65% of the population.
Causes Of Oral Malodor:
Technically it is called as “Halitosis”. Halitosis
(Oral Malodor) occurs due to excessive volatile sulphur compounds (thiols)
production. There may be a number of reasons behind this condition those can be related to our bad habits, oral health or systemic health. some of the common reasons for bad breath are as follows:
- poor oral hygiene- many people don't brush properly. In our daily busy life we have very less time for cleaning our teeth. In clinics, we find lots of deposits around teeth in these kind of patients.
- due to some dental problem- in patients with grossly decayed tooth Halitosis is commonly seen.
- smoking- the level of bad odor in smokers depends on the intake frequency of tobacco products and how much hygiene they adopts.
- consumption of food containing volatile sulfur compounds (onion, garlic etc)- when we take these type of food products, we suffer from momentarily Halitosis.
- due to dry mouth-Dry mouth can occur due to many systemic problems and in these patients Halitosis is noted.
- due to some other illness like kidney problem, diabetes etc
Treatment Options:
First rule out the reason behind the problem and then cure it. Visit your nearby dentist so that they can have a good examination of your mouth and can notify to you of any dental problem if present. they can then suggest you to some general physician if they suspect any underlying systemic problem causing you bad breath.
On a precaution note, you can apply certain ways to be free of halitosis like
- Regular brush your teeth twice daily.
- Use mouth washes containing chlorhexidine which neutralize sulphur compounds.
- Cleanse your tongue.
- Drink a lot of water to avoid drying of mouth.
- Avoid tobacco.
