You Should Floss Every Day
Bad Breath bacteria live all through the mouth, throat and nasal areas, as well as the gums. Therefore people that floss infrequently will have a buildup of these smelly anaerobic bacteria and their sulphur compounds trapped in the biofilm below the gums. If you are under 25 years old then generally the bacteria just cause a smell on your floss and some gum bleeding. However once you are over this age, you can get periodontitis (bone loss), smelly floss, bleeding gums and bad breath. So it is better to get into the flossing habit early and break this viscious cycle.
Milk And Cheese Cause Bad Breath
Dairy causes a double problem as not only is it a protein source for bad breath bacteria but also it thickens nasal mucous making it harder to clear away. Of all the dairy products, cheese is the worst offender followed closely by milk. The Australian Breath Clinic recommends that you replace your dairy intake with Rice Milk available from the Supermarket. This milk is a carbohydrate source so it will not stimulate the bad breath bacteria. Milk will cause an increase in Hydrogen Sulphide (rotten egg gas) and people that eat cheese will be higher in Methyl Mercaptan (faeces).
Clear Away All Nasal Mucous
Nasal mucous should be cleaned away every day. This is important as mucous that becomes stagnant or remains in the nasal passages for more than 24 hours will become a food source for bad breath bacteria. Also stagnant mucous can stop the tiny hairs (cilia) of the nasal passage from being able to do their cleaning action. The Australian Breath Clinic recommends Sinoclear Hypertonic Saline Nasal Spray to remove any mucous buildup, as Sinoclear is preservative free and contains natural sea salt. When using Sinoclear Nasal Sprays, always read the label and use as directed. If symptoms persist, then consult your healthcare professional.
Avoid Dry Mouth
Dry Mouth mimics a non oxygen environment to the oral bacteria sending a message to accelerate their colonisation. This increase in the non oxygen bacteria will mean greater protein breakdown and therefore more Volatile Sulphur Compounds (VSCs). These are the smells of bad breath. To avoid Dry Mouth make sure to keep adequate levels of saliva by chewing a piece of xylitol gum or taking a KForce Booster after every meal. Also avoid such things as coffee, diet drinks and stress which also increase dry mouth.
Do Not Diet During The Day
Dieting will cause the breakdown of body fat by a process called "ketosis". This will release ketones which themselves have an odour. This is why you hear of people on fad diets having bad breath. It is important to eat regular meals that are high in carbohydrate and low in protein to satisfy oyur body's needs and avoid bad breath.
A tongue coating is normal
Tongue coating is a combination of saliva, bacteria, and by product. For hygiene purposes you should clean your tongue every day (using our recommended cleaning method). In a bad breath sufferer, the bacteria in the tongue coating is an accumulation of anaerobic bacteria and sulphur compounds that cause bad breath. So for bad breath patients, tongue coating is not good. For people with fresh breath, it is a different accumulation of bacteria, so it probably is not as bad. What you can say, is that coating on the front two thirds of the tongue should be kept to a minimum and is usually easy to clean away. However coating on the back third of the tongue, past the gag reflex, is not as easy to maintain. Coating in this area is commonly seen in patients with post nasal drip.
To discuss your questions please call our office on 1300 653 335
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