Check Your Meds - They Could Be Your Bad Breath Culprit
Check Your Meds - They Could Be Your Bad Breath Culprit
The bacterium found in the average mouth accumulates mostly on the person’s tongue towards the back and is one of several causes of halitosis. The anaerobic bacteria feed upon food debris and then produce Volatile Sulfur Compounds (VSC). Volatile Sulfur Compounds smells much like hydrogen sulfide, and will remind you of the smell of rotten eggs. Bad breath (halitosis) can also result from medications. It is true that your medications could also be a culprit in your breath problems.
The reason for this is that most medications have a drying effect either to dry out the sinuses or to dry up the mucus, which is caused in part from postnasal drip. Anti-anxiety medications also have this same “drying up” side effect. In fact, several do, and it would be wise to take a good look at those prescriptions or call your doctor to find out this information. You should not have to choose between your medications and your breath.
Just a few medications that have the side effect of dry mouth:
Antidepressants
Antihistamines
Birth Control Pills
Decongestants
High Blood Pressure Medicines
Indigestion
Hormone Replacement Medicines
The primary effect of these medications is that they cause dry mouth so you have a choice to stop the medication or to walk around with your breath smelling like rotten eggs. Neither option seems viable. You can also learn a few tricks to help you stay well hydrated:
Drinking plenty of water or sugarless fluids
Drinking water with lemon or lime – need to break up the monotony.
Avoid caffeine, spicy foods, and salty foods when possible.
Chew gum, preferably sugarless this will stimulate saliva production.
Avoid stress
Use of a humidifier
Also, did you know that the mere thought of something sour would stimulate saliva production? So, if you don’t have a lemon handy at the moment, simply picture one in your mind and there you go – saliva! In case you were wondering, saliva has natural antibiotic elements that reduce the number of bacteria in the mouth. When our mouths dry out saliva production diminishes and halitosis increases.
Now that you have determined some of the medications that may contribute to dry mouth and looked at some of the ways to keep the saliva flowing, here are some oral care tips. You should now take a look at other forms of oral care which will serve to enhance your breath now that you are doing everything you can to counteract the effects the medications.
Daily brushing is an absolute. How you brush is very important and many people do not realize there is a proper brushing technique that will remove food particles lodged between the teeth. Daily brushing will go a long way to improving bad breath. Also, having regular dental cleanings will also improve the decline of bacteria making a home in your mouth. Also, have you ever checked out your tongue in the mirror? See that white stuff back there? It’s not supposed to be there. You can purchase a handy little item called a tongue scraper made just for the purpose of getting rid of that foul white gunk. Remember to have a proper diet as well, which has great consequences beyond helping to rid the rotten smell coming from the mouth.
Another quick cleaning technique that you may want to use if you are in a meeting or another public place and you are not able to brush your teeth after eating or when you feel the compulsion to irradiate bad breath a quick solution would be to simply take a drink of water and swish it around to loosen the particles trapped that the bacteria like to feed upon and then spit it out. Any action is better than no action!
Again, the chewing action is pivotal and snacks such as fresh vegetables as opposed to candy, chips, and cookies will help to keep plaque from forming and will aid in keeping the saliva juices flowing freely.
Vitamin C is healthy for the body in many respects and you may be surprised to know that being deficient in Vitamin C may also be a contributing factor towards bad breath as well as smoking that destroys Vitamin C. So start popping those vitamin C tablets.