Results for: Halitosis

15,025 Contributions

California dreamin' <3

Answered

What causes halitosis?

Halitosis Halitosis can be caused by a large variety of things. Mouth Though the causes of breath odor are not entirely understood, most unpleasant… odors are known to arise from proteins trapped in the mouth which are processed by oral bacteria. There are over 600 types of bacteria found in the average mouth. Several dozens of these can produce high levels of foul odors when incubated in the laboratory. The most common location for mouth-related halitosis is the tongue. Large quantities of naturally-occurring bacteria are often found on the posterior dorsum of the tongue, where they are relatively undisturbed by normal activity. This part of the tongue is relatively dry and poorly cleansed, and bacterial populations can thrive on remnants of food deposits, dead epithelial cells and postnasal drip. The convoluted microbial structure of the tongue dorsum provides an ideal habitat for anaerobic bacteria, which flourish under a continually-forming tongue coating of food debris, dead cells, postnasal drip and overlying bacteria, living and dead. When left on the tongue, the anaerobic respiration of such bacteria can yield either the putrescent smell of indole, skatole, polyamines, or the "rotten egg" smell of volatile sulfur compounds (VSCs) such as hydrogen sulfide, methyl mercaptan and dimethyl sulfide. The odors are produced mainly due to the anaerobic breakdown of proteins into individual amino acids, followed by the further breakdown of certain amino acids to produce detectable foul gases. For example, the breakdown of cysteine and methionine produce hydrogen sulfide and methyl mercaptan respectively. Volatile sulfur compounds have been shown to be statistically associated with oral malodor levels, and usually decrease following successful treatment. Other parts of the mouth may also contribute to the overall odor, but are not as common as the back of the tongue. These locations are, in descending prevalence order: inter-dental and sub-gingival niches, faulty dental work, food-impaction areas in-between the teeth, abscesses and unclean dentures. Gum Disease There is some controversy over the role of periodontal diseases in causing bad breath. Whereas bacteria growing below the gumline (subgingival dental plaque) have a foul smell upon removal, several studies reported no statistical correlation between malodor and periodontal parameters. Nose The second major source of bad breath is the nose. In this instance, the odor exiting the nostrils has a pungent odor which differs from the oral odor. Nasal odor may be due to sinus infections or foreign bodies. Tonsils Putrefaction from the tonsils is generally considered a minor cause of bad breath (contributing to some 3-5% of cases). Although some people (approximately 5% of the population) suffer from small bits of calcified matter in tonsillar crypts (called tonsilloliths), which themselves smell extremely foul when released, they do not necessarily cause bad breath. Systemic diseases There are a few systemic (non oral) medical conditions which may cause foul breath odor, but these are extremely infrequent in the general population. Such conditions are: Fetor hepaticus: an example of a rare type of bad breath caused by chronic liver failure.Lower respiratory tract infections (Bronchial and lung infections).Renal infections and renal failure.Carcinoma.Trimethylaminuria ("fish odor syndrome").Diabetes mellitus.Metabolic dysfunction. People suffering from halitosis should not immediately conclude that they suffer from these conditions or diseases just by deducing from the breath odor alone, since these conditions are rare, may not display bad breath at all and will most likely show additional characters, which are more definitive than the breath odor. Most researchers consider the stomach as a very uncommon source of bad breath (except in belching). The esophagus is a closed and collapsed tube, and continuous flow (as opposed to a simple burp) of gas or putrid substances from the stomach indicates a health problem - such as reflux or a fistula between the stomach and the esophagus - which will demonstrate more serious manifestations than just foul odor.[1] 1. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Halitosis (MORE)

Tom Spaulding

138 Contributions

Answered

In Health

What is Simple Chronic Halitosis?

Bad Breath Do you suffer from bad breath? Do you have a persistent bad taste in your mouth? Did you know that poor smelling breath can be c…aused by bacteria and biofilm sitting in your mouth even after you brush and floss your teeth? Often people try to cover their bad breath up with gum, a breath mint, or mouthwash. Unfortunately, other people can still tell it's there. The answer is to go to the cause of the problem, not to attempt at masking it. Bad breath doesn't go away on its own. Halitosis (bad breath) may simply be caused from the anaerobic (oxygen-free) bacteria living between your teeth and under your gums. The biofilm and toxins in these areas can not only cause decay, gum disease and gingivitis, but they can also contribute to bad breath. Because these bacteria hide in the grooves around teeth, dental restorations, and under gums, they are extremely difficult to reach. In fact, even if you are flossing daily, you may still be leaving biofilm full of infectious bacteria in your mouth. Studies show that the physical flushing with an oral irrigator is actually more effective than floss for these hard to reach areas. Sometimes food may even be packed so far under your gums that it sits there a very long time. You can imagine what that would smell like after a day or more. Some foods such as the kernels of popcorn can even be found under your gums up to a month after you've eaten your movie time snack. By using an Irrigator every day, you can literally flush those stinky germs right out of your mouth. The stream of water irrigating under the gum lines, between your teeth, and even at the back of your tongue can help to remove the bad breath forming bacteria that you otherwise wouldn't be able to reach. It's so easy to do! Managing advanced bad breath is all about daily plaque control - essentially sound oral hygiene. That means, in most cases, stopping the plaque in your mouth is really in your own hands. Brush every day. Floss every day. Period. Dental professionals recommend oral irrigation as a great way to really clean teeth and gums. Oral irrigators get what toothbrushes and floss don't, so plaque and tartar and the resulting bad breath never come back. Oral irrigators flood the mouth with a jet of water under pressure to flush offending food particles and bacteria from the mouth. And now there's fresh evidence that advanced gum disease responds well to oral irrigators. There are many types of irrigators. Fairly new on the market are irrigators that attach to your shower head or your sink faucets such as OralBreeze or Waterpik. A search on Amazon will produce 99% of available products. All types have pros and cons. The result is fresher breath and a healthier smile! halitosis means bad breathe. so simple chronic halitosis means you have a mild problem with bad breathe (MORE)

Audomrincome

3 Contributions

Answered

In Conditions and Diseases

How do you cure halitosis?

The cure for halitosis (bad breath) depends on the cause. Here is a short list of the most common causes of bad breath and their cures: 1. Poor oral hygiene. Cure: Brush and… (MORE)

Tom Spaulding

138 Contributions

Answered

If you have bad breath, people would notice and you might have difficulties finding a job. You can be self-employed and work alone, without any physical contact with cli… (MORE)

Answered

In Conditions and Diseases

What is the treatment for halitosis?

Halitosis can be caused by many different things, and so has different treatments based on the problem. Brushing your teeth more often is usually the easiest and most common s… (MORE)