Everything You Every Wanted To Know About Bad Breath But Couldn't Get Close Enough To Anyone To Ask!

Bad breath or halitosis has been a problem for mankind since the beginning of most of recorded history. Never before have there been effective treatments for this condition until now. Most people will notice the advertising media is saturated with products promoted to help with this condition. Most, if not all of them, really do not work very long and some make the problem worse. Alcohol based mouthwashes can, for example, dry out the tissues in the mouth and cause the tissues to worsen the condition over time. Odors coming from the stomach are almost never the cause of chronic bad breath. It is 

Bad breath is a foul odor detected on the breath exiting from the mouth, nose or both. In most cases, bad breath derives from the oral cavity itself and is often amenable to treatment.  Although there is no way of knowing for sure, most adults probably suffer from bad breath occasionally, with perhaps a quarter suffering on a regular basis.  In the large majority of cases (85-90% is a fair estimate) the origin of the offending odor is in the mouth itself. Proper oral care, including oral hygiene (including deep tongue brushing) and the optional use of efficacious mouth rinsing usually bring about dramatic reductions in oral malodor. In some cases, bad breath presents an important clue that a medical or periodontal problem exists.  Periodontal disease can be and is a significant cause of halitosis for many but recent research has confirmed that the vast majority of bad breath originates from accumulated bacterial plaques and food coated on the back of the tongue and can be treated by regular deep tongue cleaning.  Nasal problems are an important secondary cause of bad breath, and are easy to detect by comparing the odor exiting the mouth and nose. Numerous other medical conditions can lead to bad breath, but are found very infrequently, as compared with odor of oral and nasal etiologies. Contrary to popular belief, the gastrointestinal tract is rarely, if ever, responsible for chronic bad breath.

The major problem remains one of diagnosis, both in clinical research and individual counseling. How can bad breath best be measured and detected? Is the odor real or imagined? What are the sites (whether in the mouth or elsewhere) or diseases responsible for the presenting odor? How can one know whether one has bad breath at any given time point in time?

 When consulting with a professional regarding Bad Breath, it is important that you do not clean or deodorize your mouth for at least two hours prior to the consultation appointment.  Also, do not eat, drink, chew, smoke, gargle or brush your teeth. Second, it is recommended that the you bring a close friend or family member ("confidant") who can describe the problem in an objective fashion, and verify that the odor at the time of the consultation is similar, if not in intensity, then at least in quality, to the odor which is usually bothersome.

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Last modified: October 17, 2007