Smell from the mouth — the problem is very delicate and it’s not customary to talk about it openly. People with halitosis, and this is how medicine calls the unpleasant odor of the mouth, often have problems in communication. And some people do not even know that this is a problem. Let’s try to understand the causes and methods of elimination of halitosis.
How to determine if there is a smell?
It is peculiar for a person to quickly become accustomed to the environment, this also applies to fragrances. For example, if we use the same spirits for a long time, then after a while we simply cease to feel them on ourselves. To understand, whether there is a smell from a mouth it is necessary to resort to some «refined» receptions. Since it is not possible to understand this by the usual exhalation through the mouth. Of course, the easiest way is to ask someone. But if you are embarrassed to approach such a sensitive question to a loved one, there are several methods that will help you to know about the presence or absence of odor yourself.
A spoon
Take the spoon with the concave side and, as it were, scrape off some of the plaque from the tongue. The smell that will be on the spoon is what smells of your mouth.
Cotton pad
The same can be done with a cotton disc, having carried them along the inner surface of the cheeks to the tongue.
Wrist
Touch the tongue to the wrist and wait for the saliva to dry. After a few seconds, smell your wrist — this will be your smell from the mouth.
Such tests are best conducted in the middle of the day or in the evening. For 3 hours, do not chew the chewing gum and brush your teeth to make the result more reliable.
The causes of odor
Talk about the unpleasant odor after eating garlic, onions, and also because of smoking, we think, it is not necessary — this is already known to everyone. Effective treatment of periodontitis also prevents bad breath.
- «Crown of the championship» with halitosis have diseases of the oral cavity, namely pulpitis, periodontitis, gingivitis, dental cysts, tartar.
- The second place is occupied by diseases of the nasopharynx and ENT organs, especially when the inflammation is accompanied by secretions of pus. Therefore, if you suffer from sinusitis, pharyngitis, sinusitis, tonsillitis, tonsillitis — most likely, at the moment you have an unpleasant smell.
- Some diseases of the internal organs, too, are the cause of halitosis. Gastric ulcers, gastritis, diabetes mellitus, intestinal obstruction, pancreatitis — all these diseases provoke an unpleasant odor from the mouth.
- Another reason is the wearing of dentures. But here it is most likely about insufficient hygiene. Therefore, it is very important to properly care for artificial teeth.
- Dry mouth (xerostomia) is another reason for the bad flavor from the mouth. Often in the morning a person feels an unpleasant taste in his mouth. This is due to the fact that during sleep, less saliva is released, which helps wash out bacteria. Also, the problem of xerostomia can be associated with taking medications. In such cases, dry mouth can be accompanied by a bitter taste.
If the problem areas are the ENT organs, gastrointestinal tract, liver, or kidneys, then you need to seek treatment from the appropriate specialists. Next, we will look at what to do when halitosis occurs as a result of diseases of the teeth and gums.
Malicious bacteria
Like other living organisms, bacteria feed and excrete waste products. It is these waste products that cause bad breath. Bacteria love places with low oxygen levels. Most of them accumulate on the tongue and teeth under a layer of plaque. They also feel comfortable in the periodontal area, where it is impossible to clean them yourself.
Fighting bacteria – fighting odor
The tactic for achieving fresh breath primarily involves fighting bacteria:
Eliminating problems
If you know that you have a small cavity or your gums bleed when you brush your teeth, don’t delay visiting the dentist. Otherwise, bad breath will be the least of your worries compared to pulpitis.
Fighting the “population”
This point is about thorough and proper hygiene—brushing your teeth in the morning and evening (don’t forget your tongue), using dental floss, and an irrigator. Once every six months, we make sure to get our teeth professionally cleaned at the PRIZMA aesthetic dentistry clinic. In general, we do everything we can to remove plaque, which bacteria love to multiply under.
More vegetables – less meat
Most of the substances that cause unpleasant odors are secreted by bacteria after consuming protein-rich foods, particularly meat. Add more fresh fruits and vegetables to your daily diet to deprive bacteria of their “favorite foods.”
Additional measures in the fight against halitosis:
- Stimulate the secretion of saliva. We have already written that the saliva is washing away the bacteria. And for its more intensive allocation, you can chew mint, cloves, lemon balm, parsley, cuds and sugar candies (but without sugar).
- Drink more fluids. Lack of moisture, the body compensates for itself, preventing excessive allocation of saliva. Hence — dry mouth, which, as we found out, is one of the causes of the smell. Therefore, you need to consume enough water to prevent the body from retaining saliva.
- Rinse your mouth with infusions. These can be prepared solutions or made independently. For mouthwash use tinctures with bark of an oak, a camomile, eucalyptus, mint, bitter wormwood. In addition to rinsing, rinsing helps in strengthening the gums. Closing gaps between teeth is available at our dental clinic.
Maintain hygiene and do not run your health and then your breath will always be fresh and pleasant!
