Bad Breath (Halitosis) and Mouthwash

You're standing in the hall with your friends telling them about an exciting new movie. But soon everybody is moving away.
"Sometimes someone's breath is so bad, you just have to keep backing up," says Marissa.

Fear strikes. Do you have that dreaded affliction--Dragon Breath?
Halitosis, or bad breath, most often comes from the activity of the millions of bacteria that live in your mouth. As these bacteria decompose the food you've eaten, they give off foul-smelling gases such as hydrogen sulfide (the smell of rotten eggs).

Most of the time your saliva washes away the decaying food and the bad breath. That explains why bad breath is often more noticeable in the morning: Your saliva stops working during the night. This leaves your mouth dry, and the dead cells stick to your tongue and inside your cheeks. The odor disappears when you rinse your mouth or brush your teeth and tongue.

Another kind of morning dragon breath is known as hunger odor. This bad breath develops when juices from your pancreas go into your stomach while you sleep. The odor goes away when you eat something.

Eating strong foods such as onions, garlic, or horseradish often causes bad breath several hours later, after they are absorbed into the bloodstream and the odors are carried to your lungs.

You may have noticed you have bad breath when you have to give a speech or take an exam. When you're stressed, your saliva stops working. Your mouth dries out, and the bacteria don't get washed away.

Sometimes bad breath indicates gum disease, especially when there is also bleeding around gum tissues.

Searching for the Dragon's Lair
Unfortunately, you can't always tell if you have bad breath. You're too used to your own smells, and you won't notice a foul odor. You can't expect others to tell you that your breath smells like a dumpster--it's not something people mention.

Some people suggest licking your hand and smelling it. Since most of the decay-producing activity occurs at the back of your tongue, this method isn't very reliable.

One way to check yourself for bad breath is to ask the opinion of a close friend--a very close friend--and make your friend promise to be completely honest with you. Even if your friend gives you a positive report, the condition of your mouth can change, and the dreaded dragon breath will return an hour later.

"I'd tell my best friend if her breath was bad," says Marissa. "But I'd whisper, and suggest she might want to use a breath mint."

Going for the kill
You may not always be able to beat the bacteria beast, bad breath, but Dr. Fred Siemon has some suggestions for keeping the dragon in its lair.

* Brush and floss every day, and clean your tongue gently with your toothbrush.

* Drink plenty of liquids to keep saliva production up. Hold the water in your mouth and swish it around to loosen food particles.

* Chew sugar-free gum or suck sugarless lozenges to increase saliva flow.

* Snack on fresh vegetables such as carrots and celery to keep plaque from forming.

* Rinse your mouth after eating or drinking milk products, fish, and meat.

* Brush your teeth with baking soda. If that sounds too gross, use a toothpaste that contains baking soda.

Does a Mouthwash Help?

A cosmetic mouthwash may hide your bad breath temporarily, but it doesn't do anything to get rid of the underlying causes of halitosis. Even an antiseptic mouthwash, which kills off the bacteria, loses its effectiveness in three hours when the bacteria grow back.

But what if you're going out on a big date? Dr. Maury Massler suggests that you eat an apple instead of rinsing with a mouthwash. The food gives you four to six hours of protection against bad breath, while mouthwashes only give you about two or three hours of security.

If you're still worried about halitosis, talk with your dentist about it at your next appointment. Don't be embarrassed. Helping you get at the root of the problem is part of a dentist's job.

Finally, don't worry yourself to death over your real or imagined fears about bad breath. You're not alone. As Dr. Siemon says, bad breath is democratic: It affects everyone alike-male and female, rich and poor, young and old of all races. But with proper dental care, you can conquer the dreaded demon and come out with a smile of victory.

Discover how I cured my nasty bad breath here.

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