KissMeGoodnight
eRomance Series:
My Breath Stinks:
How to Get Rid of Bad Breath...NOW!
Bad
Breath (Halitosis) Myths
"Imagination
is stronger than knowledge and myth more potent than history"
Author, Robert Fulghum
There is a collection of myths ('urban legends') surrounding
the causes and cures of halitosis; some of these myths are
based on partial facts and some are based on misunderstandings
of the facts. Following are five popular myths, explained and,
in some cases debunked.
Myth
1: It's easy to tell if you have bad breath. There is
a widely held belief that you can smell your own breath by
cupping your hands over your mouth and nose. Admit it! You've
tried it haven't you? The fact is, it is nearly impossible
to smell your own breath as others smell it. Two facts stand
in the way of this working: first of all, your mouth and nose
are not separate entities, they are connected by a passage
that is way in the back of your mouth; secondly, your nose
will filter out internal smells. If you really want to know what your breath smells like, there
are three ways to approach it. You can ask someone you trust
to tell you if your breath is offensive; you can see a dentist
who has access to a breath testing instrument called a 'halimeter;'
or you can do a self test. The self test is performed by using
a cotton swab to swab as far back as you can on the top of
your tongue (an alternate method is to use an inverted spoon
to gently scrape your tongue). After the swab (or spoon) has
dried for just a couple minutes, smell it to get an indication,
albeit subjective, of how your breath smells.
Myth
2: Your stomach is the source of bad breath. This is
a myth that has some truth to it but is, for the most part,
misleading. Occasionally bad breath will be the result of stomach
problems, digestive problems, dieting or fasting but the majority
of the time, bad breath is generated in the mouth by spoiled
food stuck in the teeth or by bacteria on either the teeth,
tongue or gums.
Myth
3: Brushing and flossing will eliminate bad breath. This
might be true in some cases but this assumes that people brush
and floss properly . . . most people don't. Most people tend
to brush too quickly, leaving many tooth surfaces and crevices
covered with bacteria. Another problem with this myth is it
doesn't include the third, and most effective weapon in the
oral hygiene triad: cleaning your tongue. It is a safe bet
that the majority of people never even consider cleaning their
tongue. A tongue cleaner (also called a tongue scraper) removes
the primary cause of bad breath which is the buildup of mucus
and bacteria on the tongue.
Myth
4: Mouthwashes Are Effective in Treating Bad Breath. Even the best mouthwash will only provide a temporary “mask”
for your bad breath by removing some of the immediate causes
but they really can't be said to “treat” bad breath. Some mouthwashes,
in fact, contribute to the bad breath problem. The only effective
'treatment' for bad breath is a combination of good, consistent
oral hygiene and a balanced diet.
The vast majority of commercial mouthwashes will temporarily
cover up your bad breath, do nothing to treat it and many of
them. Iin fact, mouthwashes that contain alcohol, will actually
contribute to your bad breath problem. The net effect of an
alcohol-based mouthwash on your breath is negative -- the alcohol
is drying out your mouth and creating a great breeding ground
for the kind of bacteria that contributes most to bad breath.
Next time you go to buy mouthwash (and if you have a bad breath
problem and use an alcohol-based mouthwash, the next time should
be today), check the labels on the mouthwashes and look for
“chlorine dioxide” or “stabilized chlorine dioxide.” Mouthwashes
with chlorine dioxide or stabilized chlorine dioxide actually
attack that sulfurous, 'rotten egg' smell that oral bacteria
leaves behind and won't dry out your mouth.
NOTE: According to the makers of “ProFresh Oral Rinse,” their
mouthwash is the “only” mouthwash on the market that actually
contains chlorine dioxide, because they claim to have a patent
that states that they have the exclusive right to use that
chemical in a mouthwash. According to their literature, all
other mouthwashes use 'stabilized chlorine dioxide' which is
actually 'sodium chlorite,' a chemical used in the manufacture
of chlorine dioxide. You be the judge! Manufacturers can “claim”
anything, all that matters is which one works best for you!
Myth
5: Bad breath is caused by the foods we eat. This myth
is a bit of an oversimplification of the facts. Temporary bad
breath is caused by foods we eat that have a high sulfur content,
foods such as onions and cabbage. Whatever we eat is digested
(broken down) in the stomach. Some of the chemical elements
of digested food are then absorbed into the blood stream and
carried to the lungs. Consequently, our exhaled breath will
tend to smell like what we have eaten. Food that contains high
concentrations of sulfur just don't smell good after they have
been ingested!
Chronic cases of bad breath are not generally caused by this
digestive process unless our regular diet consists of many
high-sulfur foods (or if you are actually on a diet that is
starving your system of carbohydrates). Instead, chronic bad
breath results when bacteria in the mouth break down left over
food particles creating odorous sulfur particles -- in other
words, poor oral hygiene. Brush thoroughly twice a day, floss
once or twice a day, clean your tongue with a tongue cleaner
(tongue scraper) once or twice a day, and eat a balanced diet;
this combination is the 'magic bullet' for the vast majority
of bad breath cases. #
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KissMeGoodnight
: 2006
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