How to deal with your bad breath wisely
How to deal with your bad breath wisely
By Maria Endah Hulupi
JAKARTA (JP): Sandra, a 25-year-old executive wasn't aware of
having bad breath until she noticed how people she talked to
reacted as she spoke.
She cannot understand why she has bad breath although she has
done everything possible to ensure that her mouth is clean:
brushing her teeth three times a day, cleaning her teeth with
dental floss and rinsing her mouth out with breath freshener. And
yet, she still has it.
Adding to her confusion, her dentist said that her teeth were
just fine and told her to go ahead with what she had always done
to keep her mouth clean.
It hurts her feelings to see how her colleagues react to her
smelly breath as she speaks. She feels that she has been
alienated at the office.
Experts warn that bad breath could be a sign of health
problems.
An otorhinolaryngologist Jainul A. Djaafar and Gus Permana of
the University of Indonesia's Oral Medicine department advise
that it is to be taken seriously.
"If a patient has taken good care of their oral hygiene and
teeth but they still have bad breath, it may indicate other
health problems, and a visit to the doctor is highly
recommended," Jainul said.
Smelly breath is generally linked to health problems in the
mouth and digestive system.
Jainul noted that malodorous breath is commonly reported by
patients with sinusitis or tonsil ailments. This occurs because
an infection of the sinus cavity trap discharges mucus and the
resulting bacterial activities create a malodorous smell in the
cavity. Infections of the tonsils are also commonly accompanied
with putrid breath.
Doctors will usually prescribe antibiotics to fight bacteria
on the tonsil or sterilize mucus in the sinus cavity but if this
doesn't work, they may consider surgery.
Other possibilities include chronic hepatitis and kidney
problems. "But not all patients suffering from the disease
complain of having bad breath," Jainul said.
In patients with kidney failure or lung diseases, the symptoms
will often become physically tangible, such as their skin starts
to turn yellow.
Gus Permana suggests a holistic approach that might involve
the role of a gastroenterologist to cure chronic fetid breath.
"In general, bad odor may indicate an organic problem. People
with diabetes usually have acetone-scented breath; those
suffering kidney failure have fishy breath and those with
constipation problems have stinking breath," he said.
In short, the putrid smell is closely related to the patients'
metabolism and their affected organs.
A healthy person is not likely to have bad breath while ailing
people are, often due to a change in their diet or the drugs they
consume.
Certain medicines cause offensive odor to a patients' breath
or urine. However, this problem will stop once the patient has
fully recovered and stopped taking them.
In this case, mouthwash cannot eliminate the mouth odor if the
problem lies elsewhere. If the affected organ is not properly
treated, the problem will persist.
"Many people think that mouthwash is the answer. In fact it is
useless if the problem is not in the mouth," Jainul said.
Of course periodic visits to the dentist is necessary to make
sure that teeth are clean and healthy.
Other possible causes of bad breath are excessive amounts of
bacteria or fungus on the surface of the tongue; inadequate
saliva production, which might be the result of psychological
problems or an indication of salivary gland problems; chronic
periodontal or a disease that affect gums and the supporting
structures of the teeth; and denture stomatitis or irritation
that can happen if a false tooth lacks cleanliness.
According to Gus, the formation of bacteria on the tongue is
made possible by, among others, the extended use of antibiotics
or excessive use of mouthwash. These substances, if used
excessively, can disturb the "ecosystem" in the mouth and promote
bacteria and fungal growth.
Reduced saliva production can also spurt the growth of
bacteria or fungus in teeth cavities. Note that saliva helps
control bacteria growth in the mouth.
Poor oral and teeth condition, like plaque, provides an ideal
living environment for bacteria, which is responsible for
demineralizing the teeth surface, thus causing caries or tooth
decay.
Gus recommended that teeth be cleaned with a toothbrush and
dental floss and that the tongue be cleaned by way of gently
brushing the surface to help reduce bacterial growth in the mouth
that might cause oral malodor.
Remember that the excessive use of antiseptic solution, often
used just before having a conversation or rinsing the mouth
without brushing the teeth first, is not effective in eliminating
bad breath.