What is Halitosis and How Is It Treated?

Halitosis is an unpleasant order in the mouth commonly known as bad breath. There are several reasons you can have halitosis including a sinus infection giving you a post nasal drip into your mouth, bad decaying teeth as well as gum disease. There is known to be over six hundred different types of bacteria in the mouth. Many of these foul odors. If you have halitosis it can affect you socially as well as personally.

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Bad breath can also be intensified by eating foods that contain garlic and onions. Other foods include meat, fish and cheese. Obesity also plays a factor in halitosis. If you smoke or drink alcohol, these will also increase your chances of halitosis. A viral infection like herpes simplex or and HPV can also contribute to halitosis. Many people who have health issues like diabetes and liver disease experience halitosis.

Many people use mints or mouth sprays to help with bad breath but these are only temporary and don’t help in curing halitosis. There are many ways you can treat halitosis. The tongue is the major source for holding bacteria in your mouth. On today’s market you will find many tongue cleaners to use on your tongue to scrape off the bacteria. Cleaning your tongue should be an important part of your dental hygiene. Regular brushing and tongue cleaning, as well as flossing, aids in the treatment of halitosis. Replace your toothbrush often do not use mouthwash that has dye, alcohol or flavorings in it. Chew parsley after meals. Parsley is considered a natural mouthwash because it contains chlorophyll. If you are taking medications that dry your mouth it is also important to drink water. Saliva in your mouth helps in keeping halitosis away. The saliva your mouth produces washes away food particles and bacteria.

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There any other serious reasons for halitosis including lung disease, kidney disease and reflux disease known as GERD. If you have tried your own solutions for ridding halitosis and it has not helped you should see your physician to determine the reason you have halitosis. Your dentist can also help determine the reason for halitosis. If you experience more than the usually “morning breath” and it is effecting your social life as well as you personally, don’t put off finding the reason for your bad breath problem. It could be something simple that a few dental hygiene measures can cures or it could be a condition that needs to be treated by your physician.

About the Author

Chetan Bhawani helps to get read of bad breath and other dental diseases providing patients with useful articles on popular Dental Health Magazine. Read more about free dental care, government dental insurance and oral hygiene on WorlDental.org.