The biggest myths about bad breath

"Many years ago, shortly after I started my radio work, I came to the editorial office to obtain the assignment for that day. I was asked to visit a clinic that deals with bad breath, and socialize with your doctor," says Claudia Hammond from the BBC. It analyzes the science and myths about bad breath – and misconceptions. Further, in the first person.

Along the way many times I wondered why my colleagues were not able to share with me this news. Fortunately, I was fine, but the odor is quite a common phenomenon, and myths surrounding us does not help.

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Myth: you can control bad breath by breathing on the hand

The Problem with this method is that to breathe on her arms — not to exhale the air from the back of your mouth as you do when speaking. So when you exhale on hand, you may be short of odors gases produced in the back of your tongue, exactly where there is often bad breath.

Doctors Have three methods of checking for bad breath. They can rate it, sniffing the following: the patient's breathing is 5 inches from nose doctor; the contents of the spoon that scraped with the tip of the tongue; the thread held between the back teeth; the Petri dish with the saliva of the patient, left in the incubator for five minutes at a temperature of 37 degrees.

There are also small monitors that can detect certain gases, but the catch is that they can only smell some gases, but not others. Finally, there is "gas chromatography" is a method of separation of complex mixtures of gases it can measure the amount of sulfur in the air, but it requires specialized equipment that you won't find in many medical offices.

Not everyone who thinks your breath unpleasant reality possess. They misunderstand that when people deviate from them or turn away; in real cases of halitosis (bad breath caused by improper digestive system) people react so in only 27% of meetings.

While there is no consensus regarding what portion of the population has halitosis, the percentage varies from 22 to 50.

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Myth: bad breath is due to disease

For the most part born bad smell due to volatile components sulfur gas with a distinctive odor. Hydrogen sulfide with its classic smell of rotten eggs — one of the main culprits. Worse substance called ethyl mercaptan, which resembles the smell of decaying cabbage. This connection gives some people the pungent smell of urine after they eat asparagus.

These compounds are emitted when food and bacteria accumulate in the grooves on the back of the tongue. The good news is that it is temporary, for example, after eating raw garlic or onions, taking coffee or cigarette. But in three cases out of four also reveals problems with teeth of some kind, in addition to the halitosis. Patients may be swollen, diseased, decaying, or infected gums or problems with the surface of the tongue.

In a small percentage of cases, really, bad breath is caused by an issue in another part of the body — the ear, nose or throat, lung or intestine, but when this happens, halitosis is not the only symptom.

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Myth: brushing your teeth removes bad breath

The First thing that people do, having had bad breath, it is trying to brush my teeth. The smell of peppermint or cloves, of course, can hide the bad smell for a while, and in many toothpastes also contain antiseptics. People are trying to eliminate the bacteria that cause odours. At some time it might work. But there were rumors that the use of alcohol-containing substances may exacerbate dehydration and dry mouth, in turn, can also cause the deterioration of smell.

Drinking plenty of fluids throughout the day can help, as due to leaching of food and prevent dry mouth.

British research on health Cochran in thoroughly investigating the issues of intervention in bad breath. In the previous review, liquids for rinsing the mouth in 2008, five of the best trials showed that if they contain antibacterial agents such as chlorhexidine or cetylpyridinium chloride, chlorine dioxide or zinc, they can reduce the odor to a good level. But the authors note the need for further research.

An Alternative might be cleaning your tongue with a special cleaning tool for the language. It could work, but the effect is not durable. Also when strong pressure can damage the language, but if you want to use a toothbrush, make sure it is soft.

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Myth: the bacteria in your mouth is bad

Each of us has their own unique society of 100-200 of microbes living in your mouth. As we strive to identify the positive role of the human microbiome, the millions of bacteria living in our bodies, instead of completely destroying bacteria, scientists are trying to figure out how to choose the right combination to separate the bacteria destroyed the other or, alternatively, to stimulate the emergence of certain types.

Was Already carried out two stages of testing for destruction of the bacteria, which often are involved in the decay of teeth. The desired substance was tested in the form of a gel applied in the clinic, and then in the form of varnish in the clinic, but with strips that people can take home and apply on teeth for further treatment. This opens up the possibility in the future to use similar methods to fight the bacteria that are most often involved in the creation of unpleasant mouth odor.

While research has just begun, so the only medical advice — thoroughly clean and wipe the teeth, drink more water, not Smoking, eating balanced meals and visit a dentist to identify early signs of gum disease.

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