Anybody can be affected by bad breath also called halitosis. It doesn't matter what age you are, even babies and children can be affected by it. Some of our pets also suffer from this condition. You may not know it but once you see people start to shy away from you, turning their faces away from you, it's most likely that they don't want to be subjected to your sour breath. Many sufferers develop low self-esteem. Losing your friends and the company of your associates because of a smelly mouth may also cause one's career to suffer.
Bad breath can be caused by any number of things but the main cause of halitosis is bacteria. Some of the causes of sour mouth are the following:
- Alcohol consumption may give one a smelly mouth by drying the mouth thereby reducing saliva production. At the same time, it may also cause digestive problems in the body also emitting a foul odor from the mouth.
- Stress could be another cause of halitosis. The presence of stress in our bodies affects our digestive system and the digestive enzymes that our bodies need will not be effectively produced resulting in bad breath.
- Post-nasal drip and bad breath are also connected to each other. The person who suffers from sinus infections with post-nasal drip has a tendency to develop a sour smell in their mouth.
- Throat infections called tonsilloliths and bad breath also have a connection to each other. Most infections located in the mouth and throat can give us nasty breath.
- Dental problems are also a major cause of bad breath. Gums that are infected, dental caries, teeth that have leaking dental cavities are the perfect places for bacteria to grow. Decays in the teeth with food that has been left to putrefy also cause this smelly problem.
The good news is that we need not suffer unnecessarily from halitosis. There are halitosis remedies that we can do to help solve the problem Here are a few steps to take to find out what is causing the bad breath and how to solve the problem.
- Practicing good oral hygiene is the first place to start in eliminating a smelly mouth. The gums, the mouth and the teeth must be given focus. Every morning and evening, scrape the tongue with a tongue scraper. The tongue is the breeding ground of bacteria especially if it is filled with food particles. Brush and floss the teeth regularly to get rid of food particles that may be left. Food particles may be left in between the teeth and may enter exposed cavities. Cleaning and rinsing the mouth thoroughly will also help in keeping the gums clean so that it is free from any gum diseases.
- Have the teeth cleaned thoroughly by the dentist. Get every tooth cavity properly filled. Having the tongue professionally cleaned will help tremendously in eliminating sour smells.
- After every snack or meal, swish water around in the mouth to get rid of food particles and sugars left by sweet drinks.
- Eliminating certain types of food that causes bad breath will also help. Avoid garlic and other strong-flavored spices such as curry. Some cheeses such as Camembert and Roquefort also cause this to happen, so can the consumption of coffee and soda.
![[Valid RSS feed]](http://www.massagebyben.com/articles/images/icon_Rss.png "XML Feed For RSS"){kind=icon}
Category Rss Feed
Print This Article
Add To Favorites 