Do you suffer from bad breath?

Halitosis simply refers to bad breath, or oral malodour. It is a condition that can be quite embarrassing and can cause problems such as depression, social anxiety, and withdrawal due to fear of what others will say.

It is characterised by foul smell that comes from the mouth and people around can easily sense it. According to Dr Johnson Wambugu, a dentist, some people with halitosis are not aware of the problem.

There are also people who believe they have bad breath when they don’t. Since it is not easy to assess the smell of your own breath, ask someone you trust to confirm any concerns you may have about bad breath.

Anyone can suffer halitosis hence taking measures to prevent it are necessary. What happens inside your mouth and your level of oral hygiene can ultimately affect your breath. Oral hygiene practices can help resolve the problem.

However, if the problem persists, see a dentist to make sure that you do not have a serious health condition causing bad breath.

Dear doc,
I have bad breath not only in the morning but also during other times of the day. I brush my teeth regularly but this does not help. What could be causing the problem?
Danny

Dear Danny,

The major cause of halitosis is usually the plaque that forms on the back part of the tongue, gum line, gum pockets and food impaction between the teeth. When food particles are not completely taken out from the mouth, they collect bacteria which multiply and accumulate around the gum line and on the surface of the tongue hence resulting into bad breath.

Faulty crowns and unclean dentures can also produce bad breath. Consuming some strong-smelling foods such as fish, garlic, onions, miraa, as well as cigarette smoking and alcohol can cause acute halitosis.

But this can disappear with brushing and use of mouthwash. Dental decay, recent tooth extraction, and fasting can also cause bad breath. Fasting hinders stimulation of saliva flow which helps in washing away harmful bacteria in the mouth.

Certain medication can cause dry mouth (xerostomia) hence resulting into increased microbial growth. Bad breath can also originate outside the mouth. These causes include infections of the nose, sinuses and tonsils.

Cheese-like material may form around the tonsils, hence producing bad breath. Reflux of stomach content or belching due to problems with sphincter can cause bad breath. Other health problems like diabetes, kidney problems, some types of cancers, and infections of the lungs can also contribute to a malodorous mouth.

Dear doc,
My friend visited a dentist and was told what she suffers is halitophobia. Please explain what this means.
Kagwi

Dear Kagwi,

Halitophobia is also referred to as delusional halitosis. It is a condition, in which a person has an exaggerated fear of having bad breath. Such a person is excessively concerned about having bad breath even though he or she suffers little or no halitosis at all.

It can be caused by factors like emotional trauma such as someone commenting about your bad breath hence one ends up being paranoid about their breath.

Difficulties in detecting one’s breath can also increase anxiety as one is not sure of how their breath smells. Halitophobia can cause minor effects like turning one’s head when people get close to them to severe effects like depression and social withdrawal.

Once a dentist determines the patient has halitophobia, he or she is referred to a psychologist for counselling so that underlying issues such as phobia can be resolved.

Dear doc,
I chew gum a lot but it is not helping with bad breath. How can it be treated?
DN

Dear DN,

Mints and chewing gum may help in fighting bad breath. However, these products only offer temporary cover-up as they do not deal with the actual cause of the problem.

It is therefore important that you visit a dentist for a thorough examination so that the exact cause of your bad breath can be identified and proper treatment given.

If you are on medication that cause your breath to smell bad, stopping or changing the medication will help eliminate bad breath. However, consult your doctor before making such changes.

You will also be given counselling on oral hygiene practices such as how to floss, proper brushing techniques, ways of coping with the condition, among other things. In addition, the dentist may also prescribe a mouthwash.

These questions have been answered and compiled by Dr Torooti Mwirigi and the panel of DN2 Health Professionals. Have a question about your health? Please send it to [email protected]