Bad breath is very common, and almost everyone has encountered the embarrassing situation of "Hard to speak". Many people try their best to eliminate bad breath, but they are led by many misunderstandings. Now let’s talk about the main reasons for bad breath? What are the wrong ways to deal with bad breath? What can I do to get rid of bad breath?

 How to check bad breath?

Many people have the risk of bad breath, or have mild bad breath without knowing it. The following simple self-examination methods can be used to detect the signs of bad breath early so that they can be dealt with in time.

  1.  Tongue scraping. Scrape your tongue with a toothbrush dipped in water. If the bristles turn yellow, you may have bad breath.
  2. Smell. Take a clean plastic or paper bag and breathe into it for a few seconds. If there is a peculiar smell, it means you may have bad breath.
  3. Smell the floss. Use dental floss to clean between teeth before brushing. If there is a strange smell on the dental floss, it means that there are a lot of oral bacteria and the risk of bad breath is high.

 Four misconceptions about bad breath

  1. You can tell if you have bad breath by exhaling into your palms. Bad breath may come from many hidden parts such as the deep mouth and interdental spaces. Exhaling into the palm of your hand is not a scientific detection method. The correct method is: about 5 cm away from the patient's face, and smell the smell of his mouth. You can also scrape the tip of the tongue with a small spoon to take out part of the tongue coating; or use unwaxed dental floss to pass through the back teeth to extract oral plaque; or take the patient's saliva sample for microbial culture and sample analysis.
  2.  Bad breath indicates a serious illness. "Halitosis indicates that you have some kind of serious disease", this kind of saying is very popular. Certain systemic diseases and conditions, such as metabolic acidosis, diabetes, liver disease, etc. may produce abnormal body odor and bad breath, but most bad breath comes from volatile sulfur compounds produced by food residues and plaque microorganisms in the oral cavity, which has the smell of rotten eggs , and a substance called ethanethiol can cause the smell of rotting cabbage. These compounds are produced and released after eating garlic, onions, drinking coffee or smoking, if food debris and bacteria are allowed to accumulate in the mouth if you don’t brush your teeth and rinse your mouth in time. About 3/4 of patients with bad breath are accompanied by some dental problems, such as swollen gums, ulcers, infection or thick tongue coating, and need to see a dentist in time.
  3.  Mouthwash can effectively eliminate bad breath. Many people with bad breath chew gum or use mouthwash immediately. Spices such as mint and cloves can really mask bad smells. Some mouthwashes contain antimicrobial substances that kill the bacteria that cause bad odors. But this approach is controversial. A British health research institution analyzed the scientific literature on bad breath and found that 5 trials showed that if the mouthwash contains antibacterial substances, such as chlorhexidine, chlorine dioxide, and zinc, it can reduce the unpleasant smell to a certain extent. But the authors call for more trials, hoping to provide a wider choice of mouthwashes. A study by Queen Mary University of London found that healthy oral flora can inhibit the proliferation of bacteria that cause bad breath, and frequent use of mouthwash will kill some "good bacteria" and lead to oral flora imbalance. The correct approach is to remove food residues by brushing and flossing; regularly clean your teeth to reduce the living space of odor-producing microorganisms such as anaerobic bacteria. Use prescription mouthwash to follow the doctor's advice, so as not to cause oral flora imbalance, dry mouth and other problems. In addition, some people use a tongue cleaner to scrape the tongue coating to reduce bad breath. Studies have shown that the effect of this method is very short-lived. There are many other hazards associated with pressing your tongue too hard. If you want to remove the tongue coating, you can use a soft-bristled toothbrush to clean it.
  4.  Killing oral bacteria can cure it. The oral microbiome is a complex community of hundreds of species of bacteria and other microorganisms. A normal microbial community plays a positive role in health, and can inhibit the colonization and proliferation of other non-oral microorganisms such as fungi, which is conducive to the balance of the microbial flora in the mouth. The use of antibiotics will kill a large number of oral bacteria, causing fungal proliferation and causing oral mucosal diseases. Therefore, it is recommended that you brush your teeth carefully, floss frequently, drink plenty of water, do not smoke, maintain a balanced diet, and maintain a healthy microbial community.

 There are three main causes of bad breath

One is chronic periodontitis, acute swollen gums and other oral inflammations, and the imbalance of oral flora produces peculiar smell; the other is that the elderly, long-term dieters, and long-term depressed people also have bad breath, and their salivary gland secretion decreases. Anaerobic bacteria multiply in the mouth; the third is Helicobacter pylori infection. After Helicobacter pylori enters the human body, in order to resist the killing effect of gastric acid, it will hydrolyze urea with urease to produce ammonia, which emits a foul smell. The theory of traditional Chinese medicine believes that bad breath is related to "stomach fire", "food accumulation" and "spleen and stomach damp heat". At different times of the day, the severity of bad breath varies, which is determined by the secretion of saliva.

 There are three key periods to prevent bad breath

  1. After wake up. After a night's sleep, the secretion of saliva is reduced for a long time, and the number of oral flora increases greatly when you wake up, which can easily lead to bad breath. Eating breakfast can promote salivation, so don't forget to eat breakfast even if you rush to work in the morning.
  2.  When nervous. When people are tense, the pressure will reduce the secretion of saliva. For example, when you need to speak on an important occasion, the secretion of saliva decreases, and bad breath may appear. Zhao Luqing suggested that you might as well drink more water to moisturize your mouth. Drinking green tea will have a better effect on killing oral bacteria. In addition, you can also use your tongue to swirl in your mouth to promote saliva secretion.
  3.  Before dinner. Six to seven hours after lunch, food residues left on the tongue and between the teeth will cause oral bacteria to grow continuously. The later you eat dinner, the more bacteria there will be, and the easier it is to produce bad breath. It is recommended to rinse your mouth with water or brush your teeth after lunch. After brushing your teeth, use a toothbrush to clean the tongue coating on the surface of the tongue, which can also prevent bad breath.

 It is recommended that halitosis patients actively treat the primary disease through the combination of traditional Chinese and Western medicine, ensure a regular life and rest, eat easy-to-digest foods, such as vegetables and fruits, eat less fatty and fried foods, and quit smoking, alcohol, and betel nuts. In particular, it is necessary to relieve anxiety and maintain a happy mood.