Contents
If you suspect that your breath is not a breeze of freshness, eliminate the problem. It hinders professional and social contacts. Your interlocutor stops listening to what you have to say because all his attention is absorbed by an unpleasant smell.
If you are unsure whether your breath is fresh, seek advice from a trusted family member or friend. Or you can examine the matter with a completely objective instrument. It’s called a halimeter and it looks like a breathalyzer. The halimeter test measures the concentration of volatile sulfur compounds in the exhaled air.
Where does the bad smell come from?
In order to eliminate the problem, it is necessary to locate the source of the unpleasant odor. Let us ask for advice from a family doctor who will help us find the causes of our ailments. Unpleasant smell from the mouth may be the result of diseases of the respiratory system, digestive system, metabolic diseases, liver or kidney failure or a genetic disease. All of these conditions require treatment.
Ailments that cause an unpleasant odor from the mouth are called halitosis. They are caused by an excess of volatile sulfur compounds in the mouth. The source of the smell is mainly the tongue, gums, and saliva, secretions from the nose and throat. Sometimes poor oral hygiene can cause bad breath. On unwashed teeth, food remains are a breeding ground for bacteria and fungi. As a result, tooth decay and gum disease develop, accompanied by bad breath.
Treatment of bad breath
Treating bad breath is all about getting rid of the source of the unpleasant odor. If they are internal diseases, it is necessary to undergo appropriate treatment, but if the cause is in the teeth, it is necessary to heal cavities, gingivitis and periodontitis. The tooth roots and tartar must also be removed. It is also recommended to improve oral hygiene, that is, to properly brush your teeth, clean your tongue and rinse your throat.
Tooth hygiene
Joanna Mrowiec, a dentist, believes that hard brushes serve only a few people. – I urge you to avoid them because they can hurt your gums. This, in turn, causes them to be undone. The problem of exposed necks most often affects patients who use toothbrushes that are too hard and brush their gums too intensively – says the dentist. The soft brush should be changed frequently, at least every three weeks. We should also get interdental brushes, the so-called cleaners. They look like miniature brushes for cleaning bottles and have a different thickness, which we adjust to the width of the interdental spaces. – Only such a cleanout is able to clean the tooth where it is in contact with another tooth – says Dr. Mrowiec. We should always have a dental floss at hand, which we use after eating.
Doctor Mrowiec believes that toothpastes should be changed. Both fluoridated and herbal ones serve our teeth well. If you suffer from tooth hypersensitivity, you should use toothpastes intended for patients with this ailment. It is also worth using mouthwashes. However, you have to dilute them with water. Sugar-free chewing gum can also be useful. However, do not overdo it, because chewing strengthens the jaw muscles, and when they are too strong – they can cause abrasion of the teeth.
How to properly brush your teeth
Dental hygienist Magda Kowal explains that proper tooth brushing takes at least two minutes. The brush should perform a sweeping motion from top to bottom, from the gum to the tip of the tooth. It is important to massage the gums towards the tooth, i.e. the upper downwards and the lower ones upwards. Of course, from the outside and inside. There should be five sweeping movements for each tooth segment that is cleaned with the entire length of the brush. You shouldn’t forget to clean your tongue either.
Text: Halina Pilonis