What is Halitosis?
Halitosis is more commonly known as bad breath. In most cases, the source of bad breath is right in your mouth, making it very easy to prevent. Brushing your teeth regularly is the most common cure for halitosis. Regular brushing will remove the odor causing bacteria from your mouth. But don't forget to brush your tongue. The tongue will also be covered with bacteria. There are special brushes made just for brushing your tongue. However, these are not necessary to remove bacteria. You can remove bacteria from your tongue using a regular toothbrush. Simply tilt your brush at an 80° angle to your tongue and scrape the bacteria off as if you were cleaning a window with a squegee. It may amaze and disgust you how much residue comes off your tongue.
If you don't notice a signigicant improvement in your breath by regularly brushing your teeth and tongue, there may be another cause aside from bacteria. Some possible causes include:
- Medical Conditions:
- Sinus
- Diabetes
- Respiratory
- Kidney / Liver
- Alcohol (either in drinks or in mouthrinse)
- Food (garlic, onions, peppers, etc.)
If basic brushing habits don't fix the problem, you may want to consider talking to your doctor about possible causes and solutions.