Mind Your Breath (Halitosis)

Mind Your Breath (Halitosis) By Lim Wey Wen

BAD breath, or halitosis, is a common problem but the reluctance to say anything about it is universal.

"It is different when somebody comes in without having a shower. You would say: "Go have a shower, you smell. But no one is prepared to come out and talk about bad breath," says Australian dentist and halitosis expert Dr Geoffrey Speiser, who was in Malaysia recently to launch one of Malaysia's first bad breath clinics in Kota Kinabalu.


The reluctance may be due to the link between bad breath and poor oral hygiene.

"Once you tell someone that 'you don't clean or you don't floss correctly', this very defensive mechanism comes forward and they will say 'no, I clean, I floss and I'm doing the right thing.' The last thing people want is to appear unhygienic," he adds.

But comments about bad breath, although embarrassing at times, can serve as a wake-up call for many. Because once they realise their problem, they can seek help from professionals.

Therefore, if you are one of the 25 per cent estimated to have chronic bad breath, knowing that you have a problem is the first step you can take to overcome it.

Finding the cause of bad breath

"Bad breath is not untreatable but there is a general lack of education about it," says Dr Speiser. In fact, bad breath can also be caused by factors that have little to do with how you clean your mouth, he adds.

Anything that promotes bacterial growth and the accumulation of protein in the mouth can cause bad breath. "Bad breath" bacteria in the mouth break down proteins and release volatile sulphur compounds - gases like methyl mercaptan, hydrogen sulphide and dimethyl sulphide - that smell like faeces, rotten eggs and gasoline, respectively.

Medical conditions like chronic nasal problems, gum diseases, and dry mouth can cause bad breath.

So can other lifestyle habits like drinking alcohol, eating dairy products, smoking, taking coffee or consuming certain medications that affect the production of saliva.

But until recently, dentists dealing with bad breath could not tell the difference.

With a diagnostic machine that detects the three gases that contribute to bad breath, Dr Speiser can now identify the cause of bad breath by evaluating the levels of those gases.

In the past patients go through the same treatment, but now we are able to focus on treating the problems that cause their bad breath, Dr Speiser says.

So, if his client's problem comes from poor oral hygiene, he will teach them the proper way to clean their mouth. If the problem stems from nasal problems, a referral to an ear, nose and throat specialist may be needed.

Unfortunately, in most chronic cases of bad breath, toothpaste and mouthwash only offer temporary relief. Ongoing treatment and counselling is needed, Dr Speiser explains.

"You need to go to someone that could counsel you and offer a full treatment and service - from start to finish - mainly because bad breath is often a lifestyle problem. You can't say 'take these, everything will be fine tomorrow and you can get back to your normal life.'"

For those with bad breath, Dr Speiser suggests the following regime. First, use a mouthwash (preferably alkaline and non-alcohol) to remove the biofilm (the coating in your mouth that contains bacteria and protein). Then, manually clean your teeth, tongue and gums with toothbrush, toothpaste and a tongue cleaner.

Discover how I cured my nasty Bad Breath here.

Source: Asiaone Health - http://health.asiaone.com/Health/Wellness%2B%2540%2BWork/Story/A1Story20090319-129582.html

Copyright 2009