KissMeGoodnight
eRomance Series:
My Breath Stinks:
How to Get Rid of Bad Breath...NOW!
Can
Medicines Cause Bad Breath?
The bacterium found in the average mouth accumulates
mostly on the person’s tongue towards the back and is one of
several causes of halitosis. The anaerobic bacteria feed upon
food debris and then produce Volatile Sulfur Compounds
(VSC).
Volatile Sulfur Compounds smells much like hydrogen sulfide,
and will remind you of the smell of rotten eggs. Bad breath
(halitosis) can also result from medications. It is true that
your medications could also be a culprit in your breath problems.
The reason for this is that most medications have a drying
effect either to dry out the sinuses or to dry up the mucus,
which is caused in part from postnasal drip. Anti-anxiety medications
also have this same “drying up” side effect. In fact, several
do, and it would be wise to take a good look at those prescriptions
or call your doctor to find out this information. You should
not have to choose between your medications and your breath.
Just a few medications that have the side effect of dry mouth:
- Antidepressants
- Antihistamines
- Birth Control Pills
- Decongestants
- High Blood Pressure Medicines
- Indigestion
- Hormone Replacement Medicines
The primary effect of these medications is that they cause
dry mouth so you have a choice to stop the medication or to
walk around with your breath smelling like rotten eggs. Neither
option seems viable. You can also learn a few tricks to help
you stay well hydrated:
- Drinking plenty of water or sugarless fluids
- Drinking water with lemon or lime – need to break up the monotony.
- Avoid caffeine, spicy foods, and salty foods when possible.
- Chew gum, preferably sugarless this will stimulate saliva
production.
- Avoid stress
- Use of a humidifier
Also, did you know that the mere thought of something sour
would stimulate saliva production? So, if you don’t have a
lemon handy at the moment, simply picture one in your mind
and there you go – saliva! In case you were wondering, saliva
has natural antibiotic elements that reduce the number of bacteria
in the mouth. When our mouths dry out saliva production diminishes
and halitosis increases.
Now that you have determined some of the medications that
may contribute to dry mouth and looked at some of the ways
to keep the saliva flowing, here are some oral care tips. You
should now take a look at other forms of oral care which will
serve to enhance your breath now that you are doing everything
you can to counteract the effects the medications. Daily
brushing is an absolute. How you brush is very important
and many people do not realize there is a proper brushing technique
that will remove food particles lodged between the teeth. Daily
brushing will go a long way to improving bad breath. Also,
having regular dental cleanings will also improve the decline
of bacteria making a home in your mouth. Also, have you ever
checked out your tongue in the mirror? See that white stuff
back there? It’s not supposed to be there. You can purchase
a handy little item called a tongue scraper made just for the
purpose of getting rid of that foul white gunk. Remember to
have a proper diet as well, which has great consequences beyond
helping to rid the rotten smell coming from the mouth.
Another quick cleaning technique that you may want to use
if you are in a meeting or another public place and you are
not able to brush your teeth after eating or when you feel
the compulsion to irradiate bad breath a quick solution would
be to simply take a drink of water and swish it around to loosen
the particles trapped that the bacteria like to feed upon and
then spit it out. Any action is better than no action!
Again, the chewing action is pivotal and snacks such as fresh
vegetables as opposed to candy, chips, and cookies will help
to keep plaque from forming and will aid in keeping the saliva
juices flowing freely.
Vitamin C is healthy for the body in many respects and you
may be surprised to know that being deficient in Vitamin C
may also be a contributing factor towards bad breath as well
as smoking that destroys Vitamin C. So start popping those
vitamin C tablets. #
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KissMeGoodnight
: 2006
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