Bad breath -halitosis
.jpg?w=728)
By Lee Sung-hun
Last month, it was reported the Brad Pitt gave Angelina Jolie a type of breath mint as a joke gift on Valentine’s Day. Whether that report was true or not, bad breath does affect quite a lot of people, celebrities and ordinary folks alike. Depending on the severity and the occasion, bad breath can be anything from a slightly embarrassing matter to a self-esteem issue that affects a person’s personal life and relationships.
Causes for bad breath can be largely classified into those that are directly produced in the mouth (intraoral causes) and those that are related with other organs of our body (extraoral causes). Approximately 90 percent of such causes can be traced directly within the mouth. The unpleasant odor is produced by volatile sulfur compounds (VSC, think of a “rotten egg” smell) which are produced by the naturally occurring bacteria that break down protein. This odor from VSC is predominantly affected by the continually forming tongue coating of food debris, dead epithelial cells and overlying bacteria. As the surface of the tongue is uneven, it is structurally easy to accumulate the saliva (which is naturally sticky), food debris, cells and bacteria on it. Apart from VSC, inflammation, dental plaque, an amount of salivation, mouth breathing, cavities, and ill-fitting dental braces can also affect bad breath.
Other than intra-oral cause, post-nasal drip (PND) and tonsiliths (tonsil stones) can also cause halitosis. The nasal mucous membrane lining the nasal cavities naturally produces over a liter of mucus to protect the respiratory system by trapping particles and bacteria while breathing. PND occurs when excessive mucus is produced due to rhinitis or sinus infection, and the excess mucus accumulates in the throat or the back of the nose, which causes odor when breaking-down. Tonsiliths, yellowish small granular clusters of calcified material from secretion from tonsils along with food debris and bacteria, can also cause halitosis.
As previously mentioned, most of the causes for bad breath are directly related with issues in the mouth. This means that unless there are specific dental conditions, most of the bad breath issue can be resolved with simply brushing the teeth well and keeping the tongue clean. However, if no amount of brushing seems to help with bad breath, an Oriental medicine approach can help improve the condition.
The coating on the tongue, a very common cause for halitosis, is considered to be caused by the stomach heat rising up from eating too much fatty food, meat and spicy foods. The more stomach heat you have, the more likely that you will accumulate a coating on the tongue, which intensifies the odor. Lowering stomach heat can actively decrease the accumulated coating, and increase saliva to reduce the bad breath. Generally, people use a tongue scraper or toothbrush to scrape the tongue while brushing the teeth, but if you find that it is hard to remove the coating or tend to accumulate it between the meals, treating stomach heat can be helpful.
If the bad breath is caused by PND, the underlying cause — rhinitis or sinus infection — itself has to be treated first. The functions of the respiratory system are dependent on its largest organ, the lung. To treat rhinitis or sinus infection, Oriental medicine first regulates the qi flow in the lung, and strengthens the natural immunity to fight the infection, and prevent future infections.
Having bad breath does not mean that you should seek medical treatment. While sleeping, the secretion of saliva decreases, and it is quite natural to have a bad breath when you wake up in the morning. It is because saliva, among its many functions, works as a cleaning fluid in the mouth to get rid of the food debris, and also prevents proliferation of bacteria in the mouth. Thus, while asleep, the lack of saliva creates an environment suited for the bacteria to multiply. Also, bad breath from eating onion, garlic, eggs and mustard on an empty stomach, or during menstruation for females is also a natural event that does not warrant a medical treatment.
To prevent halitosis, the easiest and yet the most important step is a good dental care regime. Regular brushing along with scraping the tongue is a good practice for anybody. If food debris tends to stick in between teeth, there are specific brushes as well as dental floss. If your dental braces tend to trap food particles, it is best to ask for a better fitting one. Regular check-ups at the dental clinic will also mean that you treat plaque and gingivitis before they become problematic. To prevent the mouth from going dry, you should drink water many times during the day. Changing the diet from meaty, spicy and heavy food to more fruits and vegetables can help bring the stomach heat down, and help with digestion. On top of that, the fibers in fruit and vegetables can scrub off the coating on the tongue and dental plaques to directly reduce the odor causing bacteria. I assume some of the readers may be very self-conscious because of bad breath, but with a little bit of care and preventive measures as described above, you can be confident that the only breath mint you will receive will be a joke gift.
The writer practices Korean Oriental medicine at the UN Oriental Medical Clinic in Hannam-dong, Seoul. He can be reached at sung_hun@naver.com.