Something smells, oh wait it your mouth! How many times have you heard this comment as a jibe on your self-esteem? If not explicitly then you might be getting some innuendos from your friends in the form of excuses to cancel your meetings with them. Well, you don’t have to fret over this issue anymore. Bad breath is a common symptom in about half of the population in the world, at least at some point in their life. It is not an exclusive feature attributed to you.
Let’s understand what is bad breath?
Bad breath or halitosis is defined as an unpleasant or offensive odor emanating from the breath regardless of whether the odor originates from oral or non-oral sources.
How is it formed?
Though the exact pathogenesis of oral malodor is not known, the most accepted one is that the microbial putrefaction of food debris, desquamated cells, saliva, and blood causes oral malodor. Various agents such as volatile sulfur compounds (VSCs), diamines, and short-chain fatty acids are produced due to this microbial breakdown of amino acids by enzymes, resulting in oral malodor.
Common causes
- food impaction
- acute necrotizing ulcerative gingivitis
- dry socket
- gingivitis
- xerostomia or dry mouth
- tonsilitis
- respiratory diseases- sinusitis, malignancy
- food- garlic,onions,spices.
- poor oral hygiene.
- gastric problems
Some additional glossaries with halitosis:
- Halitophobia- exaggerated fear of having halitosis.
- Pseudohalitosis- Pseudohalitosis a situation that patients complain of oral malodor even though they do not have an offensive odor.
How can you diagnose?
From self-assessment to going to an expert, tests for bad breath comes with vast options.
Self-assessment tests
- whole mouth malodor
- wrist- lick test
- spoon test
- dental floss test
Objective tests
- Organoleptic tests
- sulfide monitoring
- BANA test
Is there a way out?
While in some cases you need special measures, most of the time you can prevent it by home remedies or simply visiting a dentist. Following are some simple steps to prevent it:
- Brush and floss
- Mouthwash
- Clean your dentures
- Quit smoking
- Maintaining the flow of saliva
- Clean your tongue
You may Also find this Useful : Importance Of Spices In Food
