Tuesday, October 4, 2011

The Reality Behind the Bad Breath Myths

Last week we discussed common misconceptions that our culture perpetuates regarding chronic bad breath, or halitosis. This week we’ll review those five myths and go into the reality behind them and how to remedy bad breath knowing those myths.

Myth 1: Mouthwash eliminates severe bad breath

Despite common rumors about mouthwash being the quick fix to bad breath, mouthwash in fact does not remove severe bad breath. It’s true that using mouthwash as part of your dental hygiene routine helps promote positive dental health; however, mouthwash cannot fix halitosis. When one suffers from chronic bad breath, the cure is far beyond practicing good oral hygiene. Mouthwash can actually worsen severe halitosis because the alcohol present in mouthwash exacerbates the halitosis condition by drying the mouth.

Reality: Use an alcohol-free mouthwash to continue practicing healthy dental hygiene without further dehydrating your mouth. If you find bad breath persists, visit the Center for Breath Treatment to discuss options for remedying chronic bad breath.

Myth #2: If you blow into your hand, you can tell if you have bad breath

This well-known ‘diagnosis’ for bad breath is unfortunately, misleading and ineffective. As we mentioned in our previous post, your nose grows accustomed to the scents surrounding it and therefore, cannot detect chronic, ongoing bad breath. The cup your hands and sniff method may be effective for self-diagnosing momentary bad breath (like right after eating an onion), but fails to accurately reveal chronic bad breath.

Myth #3: Chronic bad breath is a hygiene problem

Dr. Dailley specializes in getting rid of bad breath for his patients who suffer from chronic halitosis and often needs to dispel the myth himself that bad breath exists because of a lack of proper hygiene. He notes that most halitosis patients come to the Center For Breath Treatment practicing consistent and healthy dental hygiene. For chronic and severe bad breath, the problem typically exists because of hereditary issues or a physiological conditions and have no correspondence with proper oral hygiene.

Reality: 90% of bad breath problems come from an excess of a certain type of bacteria present in the mouth. Various causes may trigger the production of these particular bacteria, such as sinus congestion, allergies or post-nasal drips and other nasal-related conditions.

Myth #4: Bad breath is caused by certain foods

Temporary bad breath can emerge from eating foul-odor producing foods; however, the bad breath is transient and can be neutralized by brushing teeth, using mouthwash or chewing gum. When speaking about halitosis, or severe and chronic bad breath, the mouth odor exists regardless of food consumption.

Reality: Halitosis persists regardless of the foods consumed or the foods avoided. As mentioned earlier in this post, 90% of halitosis cases are caused by hereditary or physiological issues. Furthermore, only in rare and extreme cases does halitosis exist due to stomach or medical reasons. It’s important to speak with a breath cure specialist to examine your symptoms and condition to determine the best course of action to battle your bad breath.

Myth #5: There is no cure for bad breath

Some people have tried the popular misconception ‘cures’ to bad breath without success and come to the conclusion that there is no cure for bad breath . The reality is that those ‘cures’ for bad breath are directed toward momentary, situational bad breath, not toward chronic bad breath. The most important step in fighting bad breath is accurately determining the cause of bad breath.

Reality: There IS a cure for bad breath. Dr. Dailley’s patients experience a 99% success rate when treated because he can examine the symptoms and causes of the halitosis thus determining a cause. If you live outside of California and cannot visit the Center for Breath Treatment in person, an at-home treatment kit to fight bad breath is available to remedy your bad breath. Give us a call at 1-888-FRESH-03 (1-888-373-7403) to set up a bad breath consultation.

Bottom line: There IS a cure for bad breath. Seek help and take action now!

About the Author: Dr. Anthony Dailley has been practicing dentistry for over 30 years and conducts research pertaining to bad breath treatments and remedies at the California Pacific Lab. Dr. Dailley holds a degree in Cell & Molecular Biology from San Francisco State University as well as a dental degree from the University of the Pacific School of Dentistry. Dr Dailley specializes in curing chronic bad breath and founded the nationally acclaimed Center for Breath Treatment. I'm reading: The Reality Behind the Bad Breath MythsTweet this!

16 comments:

  1. These are indeed the most common misconceptions about halitosis or severe bad breath. There are some products available in the market that can combat bad breath. These products contain xylitol which is an effective ingredient to fight bacteria and halitosis. However, it is important to know the various underlying causes of bad breath. This will ensure the elimination of halitosis after a right dental treatment or procedure.

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  2. I have to agree with you that the most important step in fighting bad breath is accurately determining the cause of bad breath. It is important to consult your dentist regarding your condition.

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  3. Accuracy in identifying the cause of bad breath still takes time. Consultation with the right dental experts can alleviate that issue in the smallest amount of time possible.

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  4. I agree with Debra. Consulting a dentist should be your first option to cure your halitosis. Self-medication might lead to a more serious problem in the long run.

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  6. I think the only way to fight bad breath is proper oral hygiene. Brushing and flossing are two important practices in eliminating bad breath.

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  7. Thank you so much for sharing this helpful information! I myself had misconceptions about bad breath. Thankfully, my dentist Lake Forest IL gave me professional advice on how to eliminate bad breath.

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  8. My dentist marietta ga already has me using a mouth wash formula that doesn't use alchoholic ingredients. Combine that with constant brushing and flossing, then I think I'm not in any danger of being a social outcast.

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  9. It is important to use a mouthwash which is alcohol-free. The combination of proper tooth brushing, flossing and gargling of mouth wash will certainly give you a long and lasting fresh breath.

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  10. I used to do the second method to check my breath, I thought that it worked but I'm surprised that it can't detect bad breath. Thank you for sharing these tips.
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  11. I think the most practical thing to do when experiencing bad breath is to consult a physician to find the root cause of the problem. Bad breath may involve a more serious health problems such as respiratory and heart diseases.

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  12. If you don't brush and floss your teeth daily, food particles can remain in your mouth, which promotes bacterial growth between teeth, around the gums, and on the tongue. This causes bad breath. In addition, odor-causing bacteria and food particles can cause bad breath if dentures are not properly cleaned.

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  13. I have to agree with you that using alcohol-free mouthwash can definitely clean the mouth without dehydrating it. There is certainly cure for bad breath. Consult an expert and have it check.

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  14. Bad breath, also called halitosis, is a common condition and sometimes a distressing source of embarrassment. Frequently, people aren't even aware there's a problem. While there are many causes for bad breath, it most commonly results from a lack of good oral hygiene. Daily brushing and flossing and regular dental checkups and cleanings are the best prevention for bad breath.
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