2017-12-06T12:29:52
TIPS TO DEAL WITH BAD BREATH- 1. Identify the cause- Visiting a dentist should be the first step to diagnose halitosis (bad breath) and identify the etiology for the same as 85% cases arise due to intraoral causes. 2. Regular cleaning of the tongue using a tongue cleaner, frequent gargling especially after meals. 3. Professional tooth cleaning (scaling) twice a year and treatment of gum diseases like gingivitis and periodontitis. 4. Treatment of decayed teeth and elimination of foci for food lodgement 5. Use of mouthwashes - to increase dissolution of volatile gases and decrease bacterial load. Cetyl pyridinium chloride containing mouthwashes and chlorhexidine are frequently used. Specific mouthwashes containing Zinc help in reducing the volatile sulfides by converting them into zinc sulfide. 6. Treatment of dry mouth- Dry mouth can be commonly caused by aging, following radiotherapy or use of certain drugs like antidepressants, antianxiety drugs. Lemon, amla or citrus fruits can be used to naturally boost saliva secretion. Medications to increase salivation are available, which are prescribed by dentists following proper diagnosis. 7. Extraoral causes- need to be identified and treated specifically. 8. Mouthfreshners like mint, menthol are commonly used to mask halitosis by smokers.