Is there a cure for halitosis?

Introduction

Bad breath, or rather unpleasant smell that comes from somebody’s mouth is medical condition which is called halitosis and which called that way in the cases of being a chronic problem. It is often associated with the tonsil problems or with poor dental health but actually the causes may be various. For example the use of some medications can lead to the condition of the bad breath.

Nevertheless, various bacterial infections are the most common triggers of halitosis. Other unpleasant symptoms of halitosis may be the apparition of the white or yellowish covering over the tongue or the presence of somewhat bad flavour in the mouth especially after sleeping.

In order to treat this condition, some remedies can be applied topically, but when it comes to the solutions which are effective in the long run, it is essential to get to know the precise cause of the bad breath. The already mentioned bacteria give off the sulphur which is in fact of the recognizable odour.

Of course, bad breath can come from the specific aromatic foods, like garlic and onions, but the settling of the bacteria in the mouth is more serious problem. It can be brought by a poor oral hygiene, by some problem of gums, by a teeth problem (e.g. caries), by some infectious process in the throat, etc. But, it could be also the sign of some more serious underlying illnesses, such as cancer the liver conditions and diabetes. Sometimes, halitosis can be the consequence of a simple lack of zinc and vitamin B in the organism.

Treatment

Besides the medical approach, which is very successful in dealing with halitosis, there are a lot of various techniques which help the treatment, but provide only the short-term effect. Those are chewing the mint or eucalyptus based gums, or irrigation of the mouth with mouthwashes, for example.

However, there are a lot of homemade remedies that provide a permanent effect, in most cases. For instance, for the irrigation the fresh lemon juice is very beneficial, or it can be done with some chemicals which are based on zinc or chlorine, or with the solution of baking soda and water. Some herbs are better to be chewed for the elimination of the smell, and those are anise, thyme, parsley, and the other aromatic plants.

Certain changes in the lifestyle are necessary to be introduced into the home treatment plan, too. Those are for example drinking more water than usual, learning the proper way of brushing the teeth, gums and the tongue and so on.

In the conclusion it must be pointed out that the best prevention from halitosis is cleaning the tongue, flossing, brushing the teeth, and doing the other oral hygiene techniques regularly. And regularly means after every meal and before and after sleeping.