5 Common Bad Breath Myths
MYTH 1: It's Easy For People to Tell if Their Own Breath
Smells
Many believe they
can smell their own breath odor by cupping their hands
between their mouth and nose. Unfortunately, we can not
tell if our breath smells because we become accustomed to
our own odors.
Additionally, in many cases, we do not produce bad breath
until we talk. This is because bad breath often originates near
the back of the mouth and is propelled forward and out of the
mouth only when we speak.
How can we tell if our breath smells ? One of the best ways
is to have a trusted friend or loved one smell it for you. If
you don't want to do this, wipe near the middle of your tongue
with a cotton ball or gauze pad. Then smell the cotton ball or
gauze pad for odor.
A more accurate assessment of bad breath can be performed by
a dentist using a device called a halimeter. The patient blows
into a straw like tube attached to the halimeter and the
machine measures the amount of volatile sulfur compounds (VSCs)
in the breath. These volatile sulfur compounds are what give
breath its bad smell.
MYTH 2: Bad Breath Comes From the
Stomach
A common misperception is that bad breath arises from the
stomach. While an extremely small percentage of bad breath
problems may be due to stomach and digestive problems, the
overwhelming majority of bad breath arises from the back of the
mouth. Here bacteria feed on mucus and food particles creating
odorous sulfur compounds.
MYTH 3: Good Dental Hygiene (Tooth Brushing
and Flossing) Will Always Eliminate Bad Breath
Good dental hygiene (brushing and flossing) helps eliminate
bad breath. Unfortunately, most people do not properly brush
their teeth.
It takes nearly three minutes to completely brush all tooth
surfaces yet most people spend only 30 to 45 seconds brushing
their teeth. Consequently, they consistently miss tooth
surfaces where bacteria are allowed to proliferate and create
odorous volatile sulfur compounds.
People can brush and floss properly, however, and still be
unsuccessful at eliminating bad breath. The problem is that
odor causing bacteria often hide deep within the crevices of
the tongue under a protective layer of mucus and proteins.
Cleaning the tongue with a tongue cleaner (also called a tongue
scraper) can remove this layer of mucus and proteins exposing
bacteria and freshening breath.
MYTH 4: Mouthwashes Are Effective in
Treating Bad Breath
People believe mouthwashes can treat bad breath.
Unfortunately, most conventional mouthwashes only temporarily
mask bad breath and are relatively useless at treating bad
breath.
In fact, most conventional mouthwashes can actually
contribute to bad breath formation. This is because
mouthwashes contain a high percentage of alcohol which tends to
dry out the mouth. Bacteria responsible for creating bad breath
grow much better in drier mouths.
A new breed of mouthwashes, however, are very effective in
treating bad breath. These mouthwashes contain chlorine dioxide
which actually attacks the volatile sulfur compounds on the
molecular level.
MYTH 5: To Prevent Bad Breath We Should
Focus on the Foods We Eat
It is true that temporary bad breath comes from the foods we
eat. Many foods like onions and cabbage contain high amounts of
sulfur compounds. When these foods are digested the sulfur
compounds are absorbed into the blood stream and carried to the
lungs. Here the sulfur compounds are exhaled as we breathe
causing our breath to smell.
Chronic bad breath, however, is not caused by the foods
we eat. Instead, chronic bad breath results when bacteria
in the mouth break down left over food particles creating
odorous sulfur particles. The primary goal in this case is not
a change in diet but a reduction in the number of odor causing
bacteria in the mouth. This can be done with proper brushing,
flossing, and cleaning of the tongue with a tongue cleaner
(tongue scraper).
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