WHAT YOU SHOULD KNOW ABOUT BAD BREATH--HALITOSIS

Have you ever tried to talk to someone and he or she stay far away from you? Or maybe you tried to whisper to a friend and he / she turns away with a disgusted look as if his/her face has just be dipped into a sewer!. Both situations could be embarrassing. If you felt that way, just know that you are not alone. Halitosis is of great concern to many.

Halitosis is an unpleasant odor which comes from the oral cavity. It is mainly caused by the decomposition of bacteria present at the back of the tongue pocket which produces volatile Sulphur compounds. It affects the psychological social life of an individual. However, curing bad breath is as simple as maintaining an oral hygiene or watching your diet, but dome of them are due to health problems which may require that the patient seek professional help. Lets see.

CLASSES OF HALITOSIS
1.Delusional halitosis
2.Genuine Halitosis.

1.DELUSIONAL HALITOSIS
This is categorized into two, namely;

i. PSEUDO- HALITOSIS
In Pseudo- halitosis, a patient complains he /she has halitosis but is oral malodor is not felt by other people as offensive. A guide on sticking to proper hygiene should be recommended, else it can not be treated.

ii. HALIPHOBIA
In haliphobia , in spite of sticking to proper hygiene of the mouth, the individual still worries about continuous oral malodor. He/ She should be given same recommendation as the one with pseudo- halitosis but also a referral to a clinical psychologist, psychiatrist or any other psychological specialist is important.

GENUINE HALITOSIS
This also is categorized into two, namely;
i. Physiological halitosis
ii. Pathological halitosis.

i. PHYSIOLOGICAL HALITOSIS
Physiological halitosis develops because of bacterial activity during the night while the individual sleeps. This can be removed by oral hygiene.

ii. PATHOLOGICAL HALITOSIS
There is a marked relationship between loads of bacteria in the tongue and oral malodor. 85% of patients with halitosis have the problem originating from the activity of bacteria in their oral cavity. Without microorganisms, there will be no odor in the mouth. Therefore, it is important that everyone maintains a proper oral hygiene.

Environmental factors too contribute to halitosis. A little or reduced oxygen in the saliva play a role in halitosis. More so, if the rate of salivary flow decreases, bacteria increases and thus halitosis in the oral cavity increases also.

CAUSES OF BAD BREATH( HALITOSIS)
~ Tongue biofilm
~ Bad oral hygiene
~Food impactions/debris
~ Candidiasis
~Dental abscess
~ Hyposalivation ( caused by medicines)
~Gingival periodontal diseases etc

EXTRA ORAL HALITOSIS
Other types or causes of halitosis include:
i. HALITOSIS FROM RESPIRATORY SYSTEM
Some diseases of the respiratory system cause bad odour to be given off from the mouth and nose when gas is expired. If there are foreign bodies in the nose or the patient has respiratory disease, it can cause inflammation and bad smell.

ii. HALITOSIS FROM GASTROINTESTINAL SYSTEM
Gastrointestinal diseases can cause halitosis. Gastrointestinal system disease and halitosis has been investigated among 132 patients by Moskowitz et al and it was found that there exist a high correlation between the "presence and severity of gastro-oesophageal reflux disease and halitosis."

iii. HALITOSIS FROM METABOLIC DISEASE
Diabetes, kidney and liver failures, cystinosis can cause halitosis. A research carried out by Khozeimeh et al show that when comparing the presence and concentration of urea and uric acid in patients with halitosis and those without it, salivary urea and uric acid was more in concentration on those with halitosis than those without it.

iv. HALITOSIS FROM DRUGS
Halitosis can be observed from patients taking drugs for chemotherapy, acetaminophen, chloral hydrate, disulfiram, nitrate, nitrite etc.

TREATMENT
Volatile Sulphur compounds (VSCs) are the major cause for halitosis. So to keep these at bay along with bacteria and plague, halitosis patients need a mouth wash that is clinically proven to be very good.

More so, tooth flossing, tongue cleaning/scrapping and appropriate tooth paste selection and use can help.

More importantly, consult your Doctor.

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Composed by @adoore-eu

REFERENCES
1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7

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