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Bad BreathAnswering Service > Call Center Resource > Health and Fitness > Bad BreathHalitosis (medical term), oral malodour (scientific term), breath odour, or most commonly bad breath are terms used to describe noticeably unpleasant odours exhaled in breathing. Transient bad breath is a very common temporary condition caused by such things as oral dryness, stress, hunger (ketosis), eating certain foods such as garlic and onions, smoking, and poor oral care. Morning breath is a typical example of transient bad breath. Chronic bad breath is a more serious and highly persistent condition affecting up to 25% of the population in varying degrees, and typically has a serious negative impact on the individual's ability to maintain personal and business relationships, leading to poor self-esteem and increased stress. This condition is usually caused by persistent overpopulation of certain types of oral bacteria and requires specialised treatment. Xerostomia (dry mouth sydrome) will increase bad breath problems. Currently, chronic halitosis is not well understood or even recognised as a treatable condition by most doctors and dentists, so effective treatment is difficult to find. There are a growing number of bad breath clinics responding to this endemic problem; unfortunately, most are simply outlets for one breath product or another. However, as with all general-purpose formulations, any one particular product may be effective for some, partly effective for a few, and not help others at all. A very small number of clinics use a detailed assessment process including microbiology to determine the specific type or types of odour-causing bacteria. The specific bacteria are then controlled by individualised treatments. This procedure results in a very high success rate. Though the causes of breath odour are not entirely understood, most unpleasant odours are known to arise from food debris trapped in the mouth which is processed by normal mouth flora. There are over 400 types of bacteria found in the average mouth. Several dozen of these can cause trouble when allowed to flourish or are genetically disposed to overpopulate. Large quantities of these naturally-occurring bacteria are often found on the posterior of the tongue, where they are undisturbed by normal activity. The rough surface of the tongue dorsum provides an ideal habitat for anaerobic bacteria, which flourish under a continually-forming tongue coating of food debris, dead cells, and hundreds of thousands of bacteria, living and dead. When left on the tongue, the anaerobic respiration of such bacteria can yield either the putrescence smell of polyamines, or the "rotten-egg" smell of volatile sulfur compounds (VSCs) such as hydrogen sulfide, methyl mercaptan and dimethyl sulfide, depending on the bacteria type. It is generally these compounds which, when mixed with mouth air and exhaled, produces unpleasant breath. Other causes of chronic bad breath may be periodontitis (gum disease), diabetes, kidney failure, sinusitis, tonsilloliths, gastroesophageal reflux disorder (GERD), trimethylaminuria (TMAU), hormonal changes, and a wide variety of prescription drugs (especially when taken on a longterm basis). (http://www.reference.com/browse/wiki/Breath_odor) The Horror That Is Bad Breath Bad Breath Prevent It To Lead A Healthy Lifestyle Bad Breathe Prevent It To Lead A Healthy Lifestyle Understand what causes bad breath Halitosis Bad Breath The Causes and Treatment Options The Facts About Bad Breath Halitosis A Foul Smell From Your Mouth Some Of The Causes Of Bad Breath And What You Can Do About It Phonecards Things You Need To Know |