Bad Breath Caused By Plaque And Bacteria
Bad breath is due to anaerobic bacteria that live within the surface of the tongue and throat, that produce smelly sulfur compounds when they come in contact with proteins, which cause bad breath.
Plaque on the tongue can cause bad breath where bacteria can grow. If you do not clean your mouth after consuming alcoholic drinks, tobacco chewing, cigarette smoking, and foods like onions, garlic, etc. it can contribute to bad breadth. A deficiency of vitamin B and/or zinc may also become the cause of your bad breath.
Millions of people suffer with embarrassing bad breath. Bad breath usually originates from one of two sources, namely through certain foods that we eat or by bacteria in our mouths that feed on leftover food particles. We eat a meal and then suffer with embarrassing bad breath later.
The culprits – certain foods like garlic and cabbage, which contain sulfur compounds. When liberated these sulfur compounds cause breath to smell bad. This liberation of sulfur compounds occurs as foods are digested. The sulfur compounds are absorbed from the digestive system into the bloodstream and carried to the lungs. Here they are eliminated by the lungs in the air that we exhale giving us bad breath!
Ways to remove bad breath
We can remove bad breath through one option that is to avoid the foods that cause bad breath such as cabbage and onions. Alternatively, you can use one of several new products on the market, which attack and neutralize the sulfur compounds while they are in the blood. Bacteria feed on bits of food left on teeth after meals.
Ungrateful guests, these bacteria create volatile sulfur compounds as a result of their feasting. These volatile sulfur compounds give breath its foul odor. Oxygen is fatal to many of these bacteria. To escape, these bacteria hide in places where oxygen cannot reach – under plaque and food debris, in the spaces between the teeth and gums, and in the deep crevices of the tongue.
Saliva and other symptoms
Dieting, fasting, or talking for long periods of time reduce saliva flow and contribute to bad breath. Certain medications, alcohol consumption, and breathing through the nose during exercise also dry the mouth contributing to the problem. Saliva flow increases when we eat or drink. If you are dieting, fasting, or talking for long periods drink water to stimulate saliva flow and moisten your mouth.
The water will also wash away food and bacteria that contribute to bad breath. Placing a drop of lemon juice on the tip of your tongue or chewing sugarless gum also stimulates saliva flow. Other symptoms associated with periodontal disease includes, Swollen or bleeding gums, tender gums, Loosening and shifting teeth, Sensitive teeth and pain while chewing.
Frequently Asked Questions
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QUESTION:
Does mouthwash really reduce plaque on teeth?
I have had my braces for 2 and a half months now and for the two times I have returned to my Orthodontist to get them tightened, he has said that I have to much plaque build up.I have seen mouthwash ads on TV and im just wondering if mouthwash really helps to stop bad breath, plaque and other bad things for the mouth?
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ANSWER:
yes it does, providing is a good and reputable brand of wash mouth, how ever, some proper tooth paste with the old good brush will do the trick and if you want to add mouth wash is a bonus…
but it may be not necessary true what your dentist is complaining about…
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QUESTION:
Does biotene toothpaste and mouthwash work to remove plaque from periodonal pockets?
My husband has periodontal pockets that are filled with plaque the dentist said to use an electric tooth brush which we purchased at walmart we bought the oral b professional and then we saw this biotene mouthwash and toothpaste which we also purchased because it claims to remove the plaque. This is his last option otherwise the dentist said his condition could require surgery to remove the plaque.-
ANSWER:
He should get a Waterpik then. It comes with a narrow attachment head called the Pik Pocket, which, when used on the low setting, can aim water (or other solution) far, far deeper into the gums than swishing can. I have one for my pockets, which I use with diluted hydrogen peroxide, on the recommendation of my hygienist. It’s so effective at removing bacteria before bed that I don’t even have morning breath anymore.It isn’t that swishing mouthwash or water is bad or harmful, it will just never get it deep enough into the gums on the strength of cheek muscles alone.
I believe that the “surgery” his dentist mentioned is a scaling/root planing, which is just a deep cleaning below the gums to clear out any infection, plaque and tartar, so the gums can reattach to the tooth somewhat or at the very least halt their recession. Depending on how his gum situation progresses, it can be a quarterly event. It’s no more invasive than a regular cleaning or a cavity fill.
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QUESTION:
What effective antiseptic & anti-plaque mouthwash do you use?-
ANSWER:
Im a big fan of listerine, even though it is very stong, it can make your eyes water the first few seconds of use, but keep going, it does work
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QUESTION:
How does Listerine (the mouthwash) work against plaque?
I already know the four active ingredients: menthol, thymol, eucalyptol, and methyl salicylate. There is also some alcohol involved. How do these chemicals work together against plaque? Do their molecular structures help them in this process and if so, how? Thanks. =)-
ANSWER:
well.. menthol is mainly added to give you that burning sensation. It gives you a psychological effect that its actually working in that area. Thymol and eucalyptol (essential oils) are the active ingredients which work against plaque and (ultimately)tartar.Eucalyptol is also known to have antibacterial activity. Methyl salicylate is a flavoring agent. It produces the peppermint kind of unique flavor.
Higher the percent of alcohol, higher is the affect of flavor in the mouth.Mechanism of action of thymol and eucalyptol at molecular is unknown to me also.
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QUESTION:
Should I use an antiseptic/anti-plaque or Anticavity mouthwash?
I have recently noticed that their are 2 different kinds of mouthwash but I am not sure which is best to use. Most are an Antiseptic / antiplaque that are desigened to remove plaque and fight bad breath. Most of Listerine’s products are an anticeptic. But there is also an anticavity. ACT restoring mouthwash and Listerine’s Total Care are both anticavity. I checked the active ingreadents on most of them and it seems the anticavity and antiseptic are totally different-
ANSWER:
The real truth. These products only help with bad breath and fluoride. They do little else. If you decide to purchase any of these products choose one with a fluoride in it. The fluoride strengthens your teeth. Listerine is one of the better products b/c it also helps kill germs.
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