What Can You Do About Bad Breath?

It is said to be one of the world’s most common complaints, afflicting more than 80 percent of the adult population at one time or another. It can cause embarrassment, frustration, and anguish.

IN THE professional fields, it is widely known as halitosis, from the Latin word halitus, meaning “breath,” and the suffix -osis, which refers to an abnormal condition. Some also call it oral malodor. But most people know it as plain old bad breath!

Do you have bad breath? While you may not have any difficulty identifying bad breath in other people, it may be impossible for you to detect your own. A journal for the American Dental Association, JADA, explains that we tend to get used to our own bad breath and that even people “with extremely bad breath may not be personally aware of the problem.” Hence, most of us become aware of our own bad breath only when someone else brings it to our attention. How embarrassing!

The fact that it is a common problem is no consolation. Bad breath is generally considered offensive and unacceptable. In some cases, it can even cause serious emotional trauma. Dr. Mel Rosenberg, head of the Laboratory of Oral Microbiology at Tel Aviv University in Israel explains: “Oral malodor, whether real or perceived, can lead to social isolation, divorce proceedings, and even contemplation of suicide.”

What Is Known About Bad Breath?

Health professionals have long recognized bad breath as a potential indicator of bad health. For that reason, since ancient times doctors have studied the odors of the human mouth.

About two hundred years ago, renowned French chemist Antoine-​Laurent Lavoisier invented a breath tester to study the components of human breath. Since then, scientists have developed improved models. Today, laboratories in Canada, Israel, Japan, and the Netherlands are using the halimeter, which measures the level of offensive odors in the mouth. In New Zealand, scientists have developed plaque-​growth stations, also known as artificial mouths. These duplicate the environment in the typical human mouth, with saliva, plaque, bacteria, and even bad breath.a

With the help of modern technology, scientists have learned much about our breath. For example, according to the magazine Scientific American, “researchers have now isolated nearly 400 volatile organic compounds in normal human breath.” Not all these compounds produce offensive odors, though. The main culprits in bad breath are hydrogen sulfide and methyl mercaptan. It has been said that these gases give our breath an odor very similar to the odor of a skunk.

The human mouth is home to more than 300 species of bacteria. The Tufts University Diet & Nutrition Letter says: “Dark, warm, and moist, the mouth reigns as the perfect environment for odor-​causing bacteria to thrive.” But only four species are primarily responsible for bad breath. They live in your mouth, but most likely you do not yet know them by name. They are Veillonella alcalescens, Fusobacterium nucleatum, Bacteroides melaninogenicus, and Klebsiella pneumoniae. They feed on particles of food, dead cells, and other matter in the mouth. This bacterial activity in turn produces foul-​smelling gases. The process is similar to what happens when garbage rots. Appropriately, the dental journal J Periodontol explains: “In the great majority of cases, halitosis originates in the mouth itself, as the result of microbial putrefaction [decomposition of organic matter].” Left unchecked, this process can lead to tooth decay and gum disease.

“Good Morning! How Is Your Breath?”

This process of putrefaction in the mouth accelerates during sleep. Why? During the day, the mouth is constantly rinsed with oxygen-​rich and slightly acidic saliva, washing bacteria away. However, the hourly production of saliva is reduced to about 1/50 the normal rate during sleep. As one magazine puts it, a dry mouth “becomes a stagnant pond of more than 1,600 billion bacteria,” creating the well-​known “morning breath” with its accompanying bad taste.

Reduced salivary flow can also be triggered by stress while you are awake. For example, a nervous public speaker may get a dry mouth while speaking and finish up with a bad case of halitosis. Oral dryness is also a side effect or symptom of a number of diseases.

But bad breath is not always a result of bacterial activity in the mouth. In fact, oral malodor is often a symptom of a variety of conditions and illnesses. (See box on page 22.) For this reason, in cases of unexplained persistent bad breath, it is best to seek medical attention.

Bad breath may also originate in the stomach. However, contrary to popular belief, this happens rarely. More often, some unpleasant odors reach your mouth from the lungs. How? After some foods, such as garlic or onions, are digested, they enter the bloodstream and are transported to the lungs. The associated odors are then exhaled through the respiratory tract into and out of your mouth and nose. According to the magazine Health, “studies have shown that people get garlic breath even when the cloves are simply rubbed on the soles of their feet or swallowed without chewing.”

Drinking alcoholic beverages will also charge your blood and lungs with the odor of alcohol. When this happens, there is virtually nothing you can do to correct the situation other than wait. Some food smells will linger in your body for up to 72 hours.

How to Prevent Bad Breath

Bad breath cannot be corrected by simply chewing on a candylike breath freshener. Remember that bad breath is often a result of bacterial activity in the mouth. One must always keep in mind that tiny pieces of food that remain in the mouth provide a banquet for millions of bacteria. Therefore, one important way to fight bad breath is to keep your mouth clean, hence reducing its population of bacteria. This is done by regularly removing food particles and plaque from your teeth. How? Brushing your teeth after meals and at bedtime is important. But brushing is only one of the steps.

There are tooth surfaces unreachable with a brush. So flossing at least once a day is vital. Experts also recommend gently brushing your tongue, which is a favorite hiding place and breeding ground for bacteria. Periodic examinations and teeth scaling by a dentist and a dental hygienist are also necessary. Bypassing any of these steps can result in bad breath and, in time, in serious tooth and gum diseases.

There are some temporary measures that can also be taken to freshen your breath. Take a drink of water, chew sugarless gum​—do something that will increase your salivary flow. Remember that saliva acts as a natural mouthwash that rinses away bacteria and creates an inhospitable environment for them.

Commercial mouthwashes can help, but recent studies show that you should not rely entirely on them when combating bad breath. In fact, frequent gargling with alcohol-​containing mouthwashes can cause oral dryness. Some of the most effective mouth-​rinsing products available to the consumer reduce plaque by only 28 percent. So after a good rinse with your favorite mouthwash, you may still have in your mouth more than 70 percent of the original bacteria population. The magazine Consumer Reports explains that in a series of experiments, “bad breath typically returned sometime between 10 minutes and an hour after rinsing” with a mouthwash. Even the more powerful mouthwashes, available in many countries by prescription only, reduce plaque by only 55 percent. In a matter of hours, the bacteria grow back to their former numbers.

Clearly, when it comes to preventing bad breath, a casual attitude must be avoided. Rather, you should treat your mouth and teeth as precious tools that need constant maintenance. Responsible carpenters and mechanics protect their tools against rust, corrosion, and other damage by following specific maintenance procedures after the completion of each job. Your teeth and mouth are more precious than any man-​made tools. So give them the maintenance and care that they deserve. By doing this, you will diminish bad breath, with its accompanying frustration and embarrassment. More important, your mouth will be cleaner and healthier.

[Footnotes]

[Box on page 22]

What Causes Bad Breath?

The following are among the many conditions, illnesses, and habits that can cause bad breath:

Bronchitis

Chronic gastritis

Diabetes

Drinking alcoholic beverages

Dryness of the mouth

Empyema

Eructations (belches)

Gum disease

Hiatal hernias

Kidney failure

Liver disease

Menstruation

Mouth sores

Ovulation

Poor oral hygiene

Sinusitis

Smoking tobacco

Some types of cancer

Some types of medication

Tooth decay

Tuberculosis

Wounds from dental surgery

[Box on page 24]

Your Tongue Needs Attention Too

Go to the closest mirror, and take a good look at your tongue. Is it covered with countless little crevices? This is normal. But those crevices on your tongue’s surface can provide a haven for millions of bacteria. When left undisturbed, the bacteria can create a persistent bad-​breath problem and other unhealthy conditions. However, people often overlook the tongue when practicing oral hygiene.

Dentists recommend regular brushing of the tongue’s upper surface with a soft-​bristled toothbrush as a remedy for halitosis. Some experts recommend using a tongue scraper. In India, people have used tongue scrapers for generations as a way to get rid of bad breath. Years ago they were made of metal, but today plastic scrapers are more common. In some places, you may have to consult your dentist in order to obtain a scraper.

[Pictures on page 23]

Good oral hygiene includes flossing as well as brushing the teeth and the tongue

[Picture Credit Line on page 21]

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