Suffering from bad breath? Take 2 cups of tea a day

Woman drinking tea.It could be embarassing if you notice people moving away from you when you are talking to them, because of a complaint like bad mouth odour. Several reasons such as garlic, poor dental hygiene and diseases in other parts of the body may be responsible, reports Ruth Olurounbi.

If you frequently feel a bad taste in your mouth or someone has commented on your bad breath and offered you minty sweets or chewing gum; if people step back from you when you are talking to them or you experience dry mouth or you notice that your saliva is always thick; then you may be suffering from what Dr. Temitope AbimbolaOluwa called acute halitosis.

Acute halitosis is a condition in which a person produces an offensive odour from his or her oral or nasal regions and such a person is unable to eliminate it through normal oral hygiene techniques, such as flossing or brushing. It should be noted that halitosis knows no boundaries when it comes to age, sex, race, or social status. Furthermore, it can be very demoralising. Because it is such an embarrassing problem, doctors have observed that those suffering from it are reluctant to even mention it to either their physician or dentist.

Another unfortunate fact is that most people suffering from halitosis are ignorant of it, unless somebody directly informs them. People suffering from halitosis have been known to become withdrawn and usually avoid social gatherings. Cases of suicide stemming from a halitosis problem have even been recorded. But as frustrating as this problem can be, the good news is that it can be prevented with some simple steps.

To understand how to prevent bad breath, it will be helpful to know what causes the bad breath. According to experts, the cause of halitosis could be medical and dental. If it is medical then, according to Dr. Temitope Abimbolaoluwa, a dentist in Ibadan, its causes ranges from sinus infections & abnormal sinus anatomies to tonsil infections (tonsillitis); lung disease, kidney disease; liver disease; blood disorders, diabetes, gallbladder dysfunction; menstruation and cancer. And if it is dental, its causes include extensive tooth decay, periodontal (gum) disease, oral infections or abscesses, oral cancers and xerostomia (dry mouth condition).

He also said many medications can contribute to a condition of xerostomia. This includes oral conditions resulting from post-nasal drips or discharges, allergy conditions and proliferation of specific types of gram-negative anaerobic bacteria. He said during the process of breaking down protein in foods, the bacteria extract sulfur from the amino acids and produce volatile sulfur compounds such as methyl mercaptan and hydrogen. These bacteria breed by the billions deep within the fibres (papillae) of the tongue because they are anaerobic. That is, they live without the presence of oxygen.

He added that the personal hygiene of a patient, food decay and drugs are some of the factors that contribute to halitosis. Dr. Richard H. Price, spokesman for American Dental Association supported Dr. Abimbolaoluwa when he said, “ninety per cent of mouth odours come from mouth itself — either from the food you eat or bacteria that is already there.” He also said “mouth odour is like any other body odour — the result of microbes living in the body giving off by product.”

Certain items, like garlic, onions, locust beans (Iru), alcohol, tobacco and coffee are also sources of bad breath. Marin Gazzaniga, writer for MSN Health and fitness in her publication on bad breath, said if foods stink while going in, chances are that they would stink while coming out. She quoted Jeannie Moloo, a registered dietitian and spokeswoman in the American Dietetic Association who said “plant oil, are absorbed and the by-products enter your bloodstream so you are actually breathing the odours out via your lungs three to four hours later.”

Illness can also be a contribution to bad breath. According to medical experts, bad breath can be an occasional sign of a serious illness. Such illnesses include diabetes or Gastro Oesophageal Reflux Disease otherwise known as GERD. GERD is a backflow of acid from the stomach to the oesophagus. Though it is rare, but experts have said liver or kidney disease can also cause bad breath. In this case, toxins from these organs are excreted through the lungs, causing bad breath, Dr. Abimbolaoluwa said.

Dr. AbimbolaOluwa added that when a patient has gum disease or dry mouth, such a patient is liable to bad breath. He said gum disease causes gums to bleed, therefore, creating more elements for the bacteria in the mouth to cause decay. He also emphasised that dry month, in most cases, causes bad breath. He added that some medications could also be responsible. Climate, he also said is another contributor. Heat, he said causes the mouth to dry out during hot season.

A food nutritionist, Ms. B. Akindayo, said those insisting on certain diets could have bad breathe. She said when there is no enough carbohydrate in the body, the body tends to react, causing bad breath. She said high-protein, low carbohydrate diets cause the body to burn stored fat in the body. This process is known to cause a condition called Ketosis. Moloo, earlier mentioned, said, “as fat burns, Ketones build up in the body, and some are released through the breath. Unfortunately, Ketones do not smell particularly good.”

So how does one cure bad breath? Keep the mouth clean at all times. Breathe mints, mouthwash, etc are helpful, but they do not cure bad breath, Dr. Abimbola oluwa said. Instead, he advised that patients wash their mouth at least thrice a day, floss the teeth and scrape the tongue each time they brush. Dr. Price of the American Dental Association said, “For most of us, brushing, flossing and tongue scrapping twice a day will control bad breath.”

Taking care of what one eats will do go a long way in curing bad breath. Ms. Akindayo said foods such as garlic, tobacco, onion, alcohol and coffee etc should be minimised or avoided if possible. According to Moloo, research has suggested that some foods can help in combating bad breath. She said “two cups of tea a day can prevent bad breath for some,” explaining that “the polyphenols, a plant chemical in tea, may prevent growth of bacteria responsible for bad breath.”

Drinking plenty of water will also help keep the mouth moist. This helps to keep the right amount of saliva in the mouth, as such, the bacteria will not settle down and multiply. Saliva helps flush out the mouth, keeping bacteria moving the expert said. Take lots of vegetable, fruits, whole grains and plenty of water and you are “home free”, recommended a dietician. But if you try all we have suggested and the bad breath persists, then visit you doctor.