STIM Oral Care | 20 Sep, 2022
You Take My Breath Away - Literally! Dealing With Halitosis.
Once upon a time, a handsome and brave prince was about to kiss his sleeping beauty to wake her up from eternal slumber. He was inches from her lips with passion burning in his heart. Suddenly, her disgusted “you stink” shattered his world (Eww!!! Not such a happy ending after all).
Halitosis or chronic bad breath is a common phenomenon and currently, 35-45% of the world’s population (are they adding to our global warming issue, we wonder!) is affected by it.
Halitosis is an epidemic, mainly because the person affected is not even aware of his situation (no bud it’s not your personality! It’s your breath). They are so used to the smell of their own breath that they don’t even have a clue about having such a hysterical condition. Halitosis can be easily avoided if you know the symptoms and the reasons.
Some of the most common roots of Halitosis are underlined:
> Dehydrating Mouth: Sometimes you feel a fuzzy-cotton-like sensation inside your mouth, a symptom of dry mouth. When your mouth is dry your saliva streams down your tongue slowly, which results in bad breath. A moist mouth prevents odor, by keeping your mouth clean. Other factors such as consuming alcohol or coffee, breathing by mouth, some medicines, and xerostomia can result in a dry mouth leading to bad breath.
> Oral hygiene: Your mouth is home to numerous germs and when you offer them sanctuary by not flossing and brushing regularly, you fuel their elongated stay.
> Smoke, Chew, Repeat (Tobacco): Smoking or chewing tobacco leaves its mark as an odor. The chemical discharged while smoking or chewing tobacco scales down saliva generation in the mouth resulting in a dry mouth.
> Foods for thought: sometimes bad for breath: Some foods are definitely kissed killers and calling them off will definitely improve your chance with your date. Onion, garlic, or caffeine can last longer (than you think) and result in temporary halitosis.
Since prevention is better than cure, you know what your next step should be. For more information on other areas of oral health care, check out our other blogs.
