Bad Breath (Halitosis)
The commonest thing that may ruin the personal and social relations is bad breath.
The dental term for halitosis is ‘fetor ex ore’ or ‘fetor oris’.1
Halitosis may be due to local factors within the mouth, certain ingested food or drinks or may be a sign of some underlying disorder.13
Local factors in the mouth that result in bad odour include:
- Retention of food particles
- Coated tongue
- Gingivitis
- Dental caries
- Artificial dentures that have not been cleaned properly
- Smoking
- Healing extraction wounds
The odours of certain aromatic foods or alcohol are generally excreted through the lungs and are exhaled resulting in an odorous breath. Underlying disorders such as diabetes or kidney dysfunction result in a distinguished odour.1
Maintenance of proper oral hygiene can prevent bad odour. Gargling with water or mouthwashes after food, proper brushing and cleaning the tongue is helpful in clearing bad breath.
A dentist should be consulted if the bad breath is present for a long duration.
Written by: Healthplus24 team
Date last updated: June 22, 2011