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Shut your trap!
 HAS
anyone ever told you that your words leave them breathless?
Or your voice sweeps them off their feet? Or that a single
utter from you can launch a thousand ships to war? If you
often get compliments such as these, now is probably a good
time for you to visit your dentist. After all, bad breath
is often considered an incurable affliction in the past.
Perhaps there is no worse experience than meeting a very
good friend for the first time in many years only to find
out that he or she is stricken with a horrific case of halitosis,
or commonly known as bad breath. For many centuries bad breath
has torn thousands of relationships apart and drove many a
people to a life of solitude. With the advent of hundreds
of products dedicated to mouth care, it remains to be a wonder
why bad breath continues to run rampant in this modern age.
Actually, there are several reasons:
We are a poor judge of our own breath. We simply cannot
tell on our own because our body automatically adapts to the
surrounding, even to our own odor.
The people who can tell, won’t. Be it fear of any reprisal
or simply acting out of common courtesy, telling a person
he or she has bad breath is perhaps the hardest thing for
any person to do face to face.
We are afraid. Nothing hurts more than the truth.
And more often than not, we refuse to believe.
But what really causes bad breath and how do we prevent
it?
Microorganisms living in our mouth indirectly cause many
instances of the bad breath. While these microorganisms are
beneficial in breaking down the protein in food particles,
foul-smelling gases are released as by-products during this
process.
What you’re eating also contributes to how your mouth
smells. Eating certain foods such as garlic and onions can
affect the odor of the air you are exhaling. Once your body
starts to eliminate the food, the odor will slowly go away.
Smoking, chewing tobacco, drinking alcohol and anything else
that dries the mouth can also promote bad breath.
However, in a majority of bad breath cases, the odor comes
from the accumulation of bacteria on the back of the tongue.
Your dentist will typically advice you to use a tongue scraper
or special toothbrush to clean the back of your tongue. Though
you must take great care not to brush or scrape your tongue
so hard.
Brushing at least twice a day and flossing at least once
a day can help clean off food particles between your teeth.
If left unattended, these food particles collect between the
teeth, on the tongue and around the gums. In time, they will
start to rot and leave an unpleasant odor. Dentures should
also be cleaned properly and soaked in antiseptic or as advised
by your dentist during bedtime.
Going to the dentist.
If you feel you have a case of “rotten eggs,” you
should consider consulting your
dentist, as most bad breath cases are connected to the mouth
rather than the stomach.
It is also good practice to let your dentist know beforehand
that you are planning to have an appointment regarding bad
breath. Your dentist will likely advice you not to brush or
use any products that may mask the typical odor of your mouth.
Such products may include perfumes and breath fresheners.
You may also be advised not to eat prior to your appointment.
Bringing a close friend or a family member whom you trust
is also a good decision, as the dentist may want to know further
details of your condition.
Eliminating bad breath is not a task that can be done overnight.
But with a little help from your dentist, your friends, and
your own determination, regaining healthy fresh breath can
just be a whisper away. *
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