BAD BREATH

Hey guys, welcome to a new day. Today, we have a guest post by Dr. Prisca. Have you ever wondered why people with bad breath have so much secrets?  

The truth is,bad breath can be really embarrassing and it reduces self esteem and confidence but 

thankfully it can be resolved. Dr. Prisca is here to help.

Bad breath, also known as halitosis is a condition in which the exhaled breath has an unpleasant odour or smell. It could be a condition on its own or a sign of an underlying disease. How long bad breath lasts depends on its cause.

It is a documented fact that everybody has bad breath once in a while, especially in the morning when you wake up. We shall break this post into 2 parts, this being the first.

How can you tell if you have bad breath

It is not so easy to diagnose bad breath by yourself. This is because the odour - detecting cells eventually get use to one's  smell. This is worse for smokers because smoking reduces your ability to smell. 

However you can still detect through the following ways:

1. Ask a friend that you trust about your breath.

2. Use a dental floss, then smell it afterwards. if the smell is nasty then there are chances that you have halitosis.

3. Lick your wrist, then wait until the saliva dries and smell the spot.

                                           

                                                                     A dental floss

Causes of Bad Breath

There are different causes of halitosis but research has shown that a it is majorly caused by poor oral hygiene from laziness to brush one's teeth and floss regularly. This promotes bacteria growth due to the retained food particles between the teeth and around the gum. 

Other causes include:

1. Dry mouth (Xerostomia): Dry mouth can result from dehydration, continuous breathing through the mouth, a salivary gland problem or the use of certain medications that can cause dry mouth.

The constant presence of saliva moisten the mouth, neutralises acid produced by plaque and removes dead cells that cause halitosis.

2. Dental cavities/ caries: This is caused by the breakdown of hard tissues of the teeth by bacteria.

3. Infection in the mouth.

4. Poorly maintained dentures (artificial teeth), braces or other dental appliances.

5. Smoking or using tobacco products.

6.Taking strong flavoured foods or drinks such as  garlic, onions, coffee e.t.c

7. Some medical conditions like diabetes, bronchitis, chronic acid reflux, liver or kidney disease.

Today I will encourage us all to test for bad breath, then revisit the blog for updates on how to prevent it later and also how to eliminate it in case you have it already.

If you enjoyed the post, spread the message by sharing with your friends on Facebook, Twitter et.c. The message might be exactly what they need today

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