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• Do I have Bad Breath?
• Here are common causes of bad breath
• Brush your teeth regularly!

Bad Breath (Halitosis)

The throat is a multi-functional internal organ of the body located in the anterior of the neck. Just imagine how else food would be taken into your belly if you had no throat. Could you afford an operation each time you want to eat? How would you breathe? How would you talk?

A throat is very useful in our daily lives. But sometimes it become so problematic that you may even wish you had none. Just imagine each time you breathe or talk people give you some space. Sounds familiar! Bad breath... you can't afford not to breath. Normally, humans breathe 72 times in one minute.

There are several throat disorders that affects humankind ranging from snoring, tonsillitis to sore throats. But one of the worst conditions from my experience has to be bad breath (halitosis).

Do I have Bad Breath?

Have considered asking yourself if you have bad breath or not? Bad breath can handicap your social life as well your relationships. Let's find out more...

You can't tell by myself whether or not i have bad breath. People try cupping their hands to their nose to smell exhaled air. Others may try licking and then smelling their wrist. These do not work because your body becomes accustomed to its own odors, which make it hard for you to objectively distinguish whether or not your breath odor is foul or not

If you are worried that you have bad breath, ask an adult in your family or a close friend. If the answer is yes, then ask them where the odors is coming from- the mouth or the nose. If the smell is coming from your mouth, you might have an oral problem, and if the smell is coming form your nose, it is usually coming from your upper nasal passages.

The common thing about bad breath is it happens to anyone at any anytime. But to some people bad breath is part of life. It can persist even if you rise out your mouth regularly. However, not brushing your teeth can cause bad breath. In most cases bad breath is reported to result from certain medical conditions.

The most annoying thing about bad breath is that colleagues dismiss you, and do not tell you, you have bad breath. How embarrassing!

Here are common causes of bad breath

Bad breath is intolerable. Medically the main causes of bad breath are:

• Certain foods and drinks such as onions, garlic, juice, brandy and soda.
• Tobacco smoke
• Fasting
• Dry mouth
• Throat or tonsil infection
• Catarrh
• Dental hygiene - if you don't brush your teeth and mouth enough.
• Post Nasal Drip
• Sinusitis

There are deep holes in the tonsils known as crypts that can also cause bad breat. These holes are battlefields for antibodies to fight off bad bacteria. When these crypts are crooked or too wide, bacteria may multiply in them or may even swallowed. When bacteria die in the crypts, they produce bad odors. Click here to find out how you can prevent bad breath.

When bacteria lodges in your mouth, they multiply and cause heavy odors. The best way to avoid or treat bad breath is to prevent bacteria from invading your gums and teeth. If you still have bad breath after you brush regularly, you've got to see your doctor or dentist.

Unswallowed particles of foods and drinks that lodge in your mouth may rot and stink badly. Bacteria enjoys the company of such foods and may stagnate in one spot, clinging to your teeth forming plaque.

The best way to prevent bad breath is to brush your teeth and tongue as often as possible. Brush them at least twice a day and floss once a day. You would also need to brush your tongue to prevent bacteria accumulation. Sometime there are food particles wedged between your teeth, flossing is the best formula of eradicating them. It is also recommended that you visit your dentist at least twice a year for check ups and cleaning.

Dentists do thorough cleaning, and will also check around your mouth for any potential problems. There are other conditions that can affect your breath and damage your teeth, such as gum disease (periodontal disease).

If your gums swell and become red in color, it may be evidence of periodontal. So you need to see you dentist. As we've learnt, you may not know you have bad breath until you are told of it.

Other topics on throat infections include:  

• What can I do for my bad breath?
• Tonsillitis
• Sore throats
• Sinusitis