Bad breath is a rather unpleasant affair – not only for the affected person himself, but especially for his direct fellow human beings. In exceptional cases, such as after a garlic meal, bad breath is forgiven. Chronic bad breath, however, can easily put a person on the social sidelines. This does not have to be at all, since the cause of bad breath can be found and finally eliminated relatively easily in most cases.
People’s Bad Breath
More than a quarter of the world’s population suffers from bad breath – and here neither the occasional garlic breath nor the sporadic schnapps breath nor the smoky permanent smell of a nicotine addict is meant, but real bad breath, which in most cases is noticeable by strictly foul vapours from the mouth and often also from the nose.
In most cases (90 percent) it is bad breath, which is caused by disturbances in the mouth, nose and throat – and not – as is often assumed – by stomach problems.
Only 10 percent of those affected suffer from bad breath because it is the side effect of certain drugs or because they are affected by diseases of the digestive system or other systemic health problems.
Do I have bad breath?
Many people unfortunately do not even know that they have bad breath and can therefore do nothing about it. Therefore, please do not remain silent – also for the sake of the person affected – if someone from your family or close circle of friends suffers from bad breath.
Make the person concerned aware of the problem in a tactful and friendly manner.
If you are not sure whether you suffer from bad breath yourself or not, ask your dentist if necessary – if you do not have the confidence in your family and friends.
Possible causes of bad breath
The dentist can then, if necessary, immediately initiate the necessary examinations to uncover possible causes in the dental area.
With a gas analysis of the breath, not only the intensity of bad breath can be measured, but also its place of origin can be discovered.
Bad breath due to tooth or gum problems
Often a lack of oral hygiene alone leads to bad breath, simply because food remains are not removed and then begin to decompose in the interdental spaces.
Gum inflammation and/or decayed teeth can also lead to bad breath, which the dentist can quickly determine and correct.
Bad breath due to too much protein
In cases of bad breath, anaerobic bacteria (living without oxygen) have usually settled in the pharynx and mouth area or increased excessively. They live in gum pockets, in the interdental spaces, on the rear part of the tongue and in the cracks between fillings and the gums.
These bacteria prefer to eat the remains of protein-rich food (dairy products, meat, fish, eggs) that get stuck between the teeth.
The more protein the bacteria have at their disposal (and the worse oral and dental hygiene is), the more eagerly these putrefactive bacteria multiply. The more bacteria there are, the more excretions of these bacteria are produced.
It is these excreta (volatile sulphur compounds) that make the breath smell of rotten decay and rotten eggs.
Bad breath as a sign of a disturbed oral flora
Normally, however, aerobic (oxygen-dependent) bacteria live in the oral cavity of a healthy person. These prevent the unrestrained proliferation of anaerobic putrefactive bacteria.
If, however, ideal living conditions are provided in the mouth and throat almost exclusively for putrefactive bacteria – due to poor nutrition, alcohol, lots of coffee and inadequate oral hygiene – then the aerobic bacteria retreat.
The natural and healthy balance of the oral flora is destroyed and bad breath develops.
Mouthwashes are no solution
If strong disinfectant mouthwashes are used now, they will kill the unwanted putrefactive bacteria for a short time, but also the desired aerobic bacteria, which would be part of a healthy oral flora.
As soon as the mouthwashes are stopped, experience has shown that if eating and living habits are not changed, the putrefactive bacteria recover first and nip the colonisation of the desired bacteria in the bud.
The bad breath is therefore only briefly covered by the scent of the mouthwash or chewing gum – before it returns with all its might.
Many people therefore use the supposedly helpful mouthwashes permanently, which in the long term can also lead to side effects such as high blood pressure.
In the case of chlorhexidine-containing products, these include impaired taste and discoloration of the teeth and they are held responsible for high blood pressure, which is why long-term use is not recommended.
In addition, unhealthy protein-rich and acid-forming diets, medicines and excessive consumption of alcohol, tobacco and caffeine damage not only the oral flora but also the bacterial balance in the entire digestive system.
A treatment limited to the mouth and throat area will not lead to success and fragrant breath in all cases.
Further natural tips against bad breath are presented below:
Natural tips against bad breath
If you want to take the presence of putrefactive bacteria in your body as a welcome opportunity to clean your body from the ground up with the help of the holistic tips described below, you will not only get rid of your bad breath, but also of many other annoying complaints at the same time.
So what to do if bad breath is an annoying companion?
Have your teeth checked
Have your teeth checked, restored where necessary and professionally cleaned.
If the bad breath is caused by periodontitis, you will find effective holistic measures and important background information here:
Healthy gums without periodontists
Check your dental hygiene
Use a toothbrush that is as soft as possible (electric or manual), dental floss for the interdental spaces, a mouth shower and a toothpaste that does not contain any unnecessary synthetic ingredients.
Many fluoride-free dental care products and mouthwashes from the natural cosmetics sector already contain the right herbs to combat bad breath.
They ensure pure breath and – depending on the combination of herbs – can also support the defences of the natural oral flora, strengthen the gums, promote blood circulation and strengthen the self-cleaning ability of the teeth – especially when it comes to toothpastes with a basic pH value (e.g. 7.5), which are a valuable component of basic body care.
Ayurvedic toothpastes are also often extraordinarily effective against bad breath, as they are also free of foams and fluoride additives on the one hand, and contain numerous powerful and aromatic herbs on the other hand, some of which have been used traditionally for centuries in African and Indian countries for dental care and against bad breath, such as Niembaum, clove oil and liquorice, which also counteract plaque and caries.
Further plant extracts from walnut, yellowwood, galleiche, madder root and sarsaparilla strengthen and soothe the gums due to their natural tannin richness.
And aromatic herbs such as thyme, mint and Ceylon cinnamon ensure an incomparable aroma and a persistently fresh taste.
Last but not least, rare ingredients such as extracts of katechu acacia or the toothbrush tree from Ayurvedic toothpaste make a highly effective product especially for bad breath and other oral problems.