Recently I was watching a Close up ad and suddenly remembered what lies marketers actually attempt to project. Just because the guy laughs with his hand across his mouth, he looses a girl! And the other guy just because he flashes his shiny teeth is able to make friends with the girl. And do watch the Listerine mouthwash ad more closely.
Anyway, the point I want to make is about bad breath. I didn’t get a suitable heading in personal hygiene and I thought this category was the nearest match.
Everyone at some point of time must have thought that his/her breath stinks. This is quite a normal line of thinking as the body works its way.
Of course all breaths whether good or bad emanate due to bacteria. It happens both when saliva is excess and when the flow of saliva slows. However you would have noticed that when the flow of saliva slows, the mouth stinks more!
Bacteria of the mouth feed on protein in bits and emit foul smelling gases like(Hydrogen sulphide - the smell of rotten eggs and also a farmland odour due to other chemicals). These bacteria being anaerobic thrive when in airless conditions.
Saliva which is rich in oxygen keeps their numbers down. When we sleep, for ex., saliva flow slows and the bacteria produce morning breath. Alcohol, hunger, too much talk, a stuffed nose, breathing through mouth during exercise and anything that dries the mouth produces bad breath.
Another fact to be considered is saliva flow slows with age. Hence more bad breath in old people while babies salivate more and contain finer bacteria.
The best defence against bad breath -is to salivate more -eat and drink to do so if you have a dry mouth. And saliva is also good protection for tooth decay! By eating or drinking, the saliva sweeps away the bacteria while breakfast is sure to stop your morning breath.
If you have a dry mouth, have a glass of water handy and take a sip now and then. Or perhaps, chew on gum. Brushing your teeth more often also wipes out a dry mouth as it clears the offending bacteria in the tongue palates and cheeks. Flossing dislodges food and bacteria. But never use a mouthwash. That rarely works. It masks bad breath with its own scent. And lasts no more than an hour.(Mints, sprays too) Mouthwashes do not reach offending germs. Most bacteria are well protected by thick layers of mucous and plaque. Also mouthwashes have alcohols which dry out the mouth. Garlic is another culprit here. It stinks only when it makes its way into the bloodstream then to the lungs where they’perfume’ exhaled air. Even if you rub garlic on your feet, it has the tendency to enter your pores and to the lungs.
The best solution to halitosis - drink lots of liquids. Also we Indians have a tendency to spit out saliva. Do not do that. Besides irritating others with that habit it is you who is the looser. Remember that saliva is rich in oxygen content.
People having metabolic deficiency or “fishy odour’ must avoid chlorinated foods. It makes breath, sweat and urine smell fishy. For people on a diet, fat burned from the body can give rise to the smell of acetone. If you must diet, eat fruits with lots of liquid like watermelons. That helps.
Besides if you have bad breath, it is a proven fact that you might get nasal infections. So avoid bad breath. Stay healthy. Drink lots of fluids.(Not the soda or alcoholic kind…)