1.What is halitosis?
It refers to a disease caused by the internal disorders of the body and leads to bad breath in the mouth, mostly manifested as a bad smell in the mouth when breathing.
2, how is the formation of halitosis?
(1) Physiological halitosis
Under normal conditions, the physiological odor of the oral cavity is difficult to detect; usually after sleep, the oral cavity odor, such odors last for a short period of time, by the correct oral hygiene measures can be quickly eliminated.
(2) Bad breath of oral origin
The most common halitosis is of oral origin, accounting for 80%-90%. Bacteria in the oral cavity through the decomposition of oral residues by decay, producing volatile sulfide and other odorous substances, mainly including hydrogen sulfide (H2S), methyl mercaptan (CH3SH), thus producing bad breath. Common causes are poor oral hygiene, large accumulation of plaque, soft scale and calculus, food embedding, caries, gingivitis, periodontal disease, oral cancer, oral dryness caused by various reasons, pathological changes of the tongue, etc.
(3) Non-oral halitosis
Non-oral halitosis is caused by some other parts including ear, nose and throat, respiratory, digestive and urinary system diseases, such as chronic maxillary sinusitis, tonsillitis, bronchopneumonia, constipation, liver cirrhosis, diabetes, kidney disease or drug effects.
Consumption of sulfur-containing foods such as eggs or the metabolism of certain foods such as garlic, onions and spicy condiments can carry a transient odor to the lungs via the bloodstream.
(4) Pseudohumor
Pseudo-odor is a patient’s self-perception of oral odor, but the test results are not abnormal and can be improved by explanations and psychological counseling. Halitosis phobia manifested as true halitosis and pseudohalitosis patients, the clinical symptoms disappear through treatment, but can not eliminate the psychological barriers, and still keep asking for treatment.
3, what are the dangers of bad breath?
Bad breath is one of the reasons that affect people’s social interaction and cause psychological disorders. There is no need to form a huge psychological pressure for bad breath, but it should be given enough attention. Halitosis is harmful to oral health because it generates volatile sulfide gas can be toxic to periodontal and mucosal cells, causing and aggravating other pathologies. Non-oral halitosis is usually a sign of systemic disease.
Detection and prevention of bad breath
1.Preparation for detection
Patients are required to avoid antibiotics for three weeks before the test, not to eat food containing garlic, onions and spices for 48 hours before the test, fasting, drinking, smoking and brushing and oral cleansers for 12 hours before the test.
2.Detection methods of bad breath
Currently commonly used are olfactory sensory measurement, N-phenyl azole-DL-arginine-2-caiamine (BANA) test paper detection, chromatography detection method, bacterial analysis method and portable sulfide measurement instrument.
3.Method of self-testing breath
The left and right palms together and closed into a bowl, wrapped around the mouth and nose, and then breathe into the gathered palms followed by nasal inhalation, you can smell the smell of your mouth.
4, the prevention and treatment of bad breath
Halitosis prevention and treatment should be carried out for the cause. Non-oral halitosis can be relieved after the primary disease is treated. The prevention of halitosis of oral origin, quit smoking and alcohol, tongue cleaning, brushing and rinsing, flossing, etc. is the most basic method. When you find that you have bad breath, you should seek medical attention and actively search for the cause. Patients with bad breath are recommended to receive regular oral examination, treat caries, periodontal disease, dry mouth and mucosal disease, etc., and improve oral hygiene.
The Department of Oral Prophylaxis is equipped with internationally advanced detectors, including Halimeter (Canada), Oralchroma (Japan), and automatic analyzers for halitosis-producing bacteria, which can quickly detect volatile sulfides that cause bad breath, analyze the cause of bad breath, and provide treatment.