Bad Breath
Oh How Embarrassing!
Do you talk to people with one hand in front of
your mouth? Do you make sure there is always a few feet
between you and the person you are speaking with? Are you
constantly popping mints or chewing gum?
THERE IS A BETTER WAY.
Millions of people suffer embarrassment due to
bad breath. The technical name for bad breath is
"halitosis." Take a walk down the personal care aisle of
any drug or grocery store and you will find product after
product all dealing with this condition.
Interesting to note is the
fact that dental hygiene was practiced as far back as ancient
Greece and Rome. The Greeks used to chew on anise
seeds. Anise tastes like licorice. The Romans
discovered that chewing on parsley would disguise the smell of
alcohol on their breath. They were probably unaware that
parsley is high in chlorophyll which turns carbon dioxide into
oxygen making it a natural as one of the first breath
fresheners.
Before toothbrushes, people used twigs - split
and frayed at one end - to clean their teeth.
Restaraunts will sometimes put a sprig of
parsley on your dinner plate. Don't leave it, when you have
finished eating - chew on the parsley. Especially after
eating onions and or garlic. They are good for your
health but not your breath.
Everyone has an occasional problem with bad
breath which is why Americans spend more than $200 million a
year on products to freshen the breath. Pills, mouthwash,
breath mints, toothpaste and more comprise this industry.
Bad breath that is persistent, consistent and
resistant to normal remedies can be symptomatic of a more
serious condition. Please see your dentist for a first
line check up to eliminate serious physical conditions as the
cause of your bad breath.
WHAT IS BAD BREATH?
Bad breath is the side effect of the action
taken by certain bacteria that live in the mouth, the tongue
and the tonsils. The fact is that we all have these
bacteria in our mouth. These bacteria pretty much remain
dormant until some action in their environment causes them to
change.
Because they are anaerobic and sulfur
producing, when they react to these changes they produce
chemicals compounds. Some of these compounds smell and
taste terrible like hydrogen sulfide which smells like rotten
eggs and other compounds.
Through a series of articles, lets look at some
of these odors and possible causes and certainly possible
cures. Just click on a article title to go to that
page. While you are here, why not join us. That
way, you will never miss a new article.
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