Credit: Dr. Hyate Sarafa
The most frequently asked question for us is about bad breath and what should I do?
Bad breath affects 25% of the world's population. There are many reasons for this, but most of them are from our own mouth.
Facts about Halitosis / halitosis
-No odor occurs in one in 4 people
-Most of the reasons are due to poor oral and oral hygiene.
-The food we eat suffocates in our mouths and is broken down into sulfur by bacteria which causes bad breath.
-The main treatments we can do at home are to clean our teeth, floss and drink enough water.
What is halitosis?
Bad breath is a very common and debilitating disease. It also has many root causes and solutions. Anyone can smell bad. It happens to one in 4 people. It is also the third leading reason for going to the dentist. Next to tooth decay and gum problems
Some things we can do at home, such as brushing our teeth and mouths, smoking and chewing khat, will stop the problem altogether. Otherwise, you will need to go to the dentist.
The treatments
- The main treatment for bad breath is to develop good oral hygiene. It also helps prevent tooth decay and gum damage.
- Do a dental check-up once a year if possible
- Your dentist may prescribe bacteria-reducing gums and may recommend brushing your teeth.
Main reasons
- Cigarettes
- Food: The food we eat can stick to our teeth and cause bad breath. Even after grinding red and garlic, it can pass through our bloodstream to our lungs and smell when we breathe.
- Dry mouth: Naturally, saliva cleanses our mouth. But if our mouths are dry, bad breath can occur.
- The habit of brushing your teeth and mouth: When brushing and flossing your teeth, the food in your mouth comes out clean, but if it does not come out, it can be broken down by bacteria and cause problems.
- Not eating at the right time: Fasting and eating carbohydrate-rich foods can cause bad breath because when your body uses the accumulated waste it produces a chemical called ketones, which can cause a strong odor.
- Medicines: Some medicines dry our mouths and others create their own odor when broken.
- Oral and Throat Problems: Sometimes small bacteria build up behind the tonsils and create a foul odor. In addition, infections of the nose, throat, or esophagus can cause bad breath.
