Halitosis may indicate illnesses

Halitosis often indicates signs of serious illness

17/08/2011

Halitosis should not be underestimated as a sign of possible health problems. In case of unpleasant smelling breath, which was not caused by the consumption of garlic or onions and which may be chronic, urgently a visit to the doctor or a visit to the alternative practitioner is recommended.

Bad breath is often the result of diseases in the mouth and throat. Also, problems with the ear, nose and throat as well as problems of the digestive tract can cause an unpleasant smelling breath. Halitosis should therefore not be ignored as a sign of possible health problems or simply drowned out with chewing gum and fresh breath candy, warn experts such as Professor Christoph Benz, President of the Bavarian State Dental Association in Munich, told the news agency „dpa“.

If you have bad breath, urgently go to a dentist
Anyone who suffers from halitosis, should urgently visit a dentist, as various studies prove that the causes of bad breath „to 86 percent in the oral cavity“ lie, explained the Berlin dentist Sigrid Weigel. Patients should not be afraid to talk to their doctor about the issue, as the unpleasant-smelling breath can be a symptom of serious illness. The smell is caused by sulfur compounds, which are by no means harmless as toxins, explained Professor Benz. Even in a personal environment known persons with bad breath should refer to this best, since the affected by the habituation effect, the odor often not register at all, explained the expert. „This habituation to smells is actually a grace of nature“, However, it helps to ensure that your own body odors are not perceived, because they are constantly present, so Prof. Benz told the news agency „dpa“.

Recognize diseases of bad breath
The Duisburg ENT doctor, Udo Walter emphasized that the bad breath sufferers are also often difficult to talk to someone about their problems. „Halitosis is still a taboo subject to the doctor“, explained the ENT doctor. For example, patients would often go to their surgery first for other conditions and then talk about their halitosis problems. In this case, the expert could already determine the odor of the breath, where the health problems that are the cause of bad breath are, so Udo Walter on. According to the ENT specialist, problems with the oral cavity give rise to a nasty intense odor, while almond or nasal diseases result in a more subtle halitosis. Difficulties with the digestive tract or the stomach are the cause of the bad breath, so the breathing smells of massive decay and in tumors can often be perceived the smell of rotten meat, explained Walter.

Cause of bad breath mostly in the oral cavity
In most cases, oral cavity disease is the cause of the unpleasant-smelling breath, and according to the experts, inflammation of the mucous membranes or gums may also be responsible for the bad breath, such as a rotting tooth, poorly maintained prostheses or abscesses that have formed , If the teeth are well cared for, halitosis is rare. But for every twelfth affected the cause is not in the oral hygiene but in the ear, nose and throat area. For example, purulent bronchitis, inflammation of the lungs or tonsils can also cause unpleasant smelling breath. However, since most halitosis problems are due to oral diseases and can be significantly influenced by compliance with oral hygiene, the experts here see one of the key factors for halitosis prevention.

Oral hygiene to avoid halitosis
For a good reason, dentists recommend brushing their teeth at least twice a day. In addition, the use of dental floss can significantly reduce the bad breath, explained Sigrid Weigel. In addition, the experts advise regularly to have a professional tooth cleaning performed in the dental practice. Last but not least, according to Professor Benz, the tongue should be cleansed once a day for about 10 to 15 seconds to minimize bad breath. This is especially important because „you have to imagine the tongue as a pile carpet in which the bacteria sit“, explained the President of the Bavarian State Dental Association in Munich. According to the experts, chewing chewing gum is well suited as an immediate measure since it stimulates the salivation and strengthens the natural defense against bacteria. Even mouthwash can help in the short term against bad breath, but in the long term, neither chewing gum nor mouth rinses are suitable to eliminate the smelling breath - rather, the causes of the unpleasant smelling breath should be eliminated. The permanent use of chewing gum and other fresh breath remedies „It would be like spraying Sagrotan in a smelly fridge. One should rather clean up“, stressed Professor Benz.

Imagined bad breath
The number of patients suffering from halitosis in Germany is unknown. However, there are also some people who are only personally convinced that they suffer from bad breath, although their fellow human beings can not perceive an unpleasant-smelling breath and the „Halimeter proves the opposite“, explained Professor Benz. With the Halimeter, doctors can measure the sulfur gases in the air and thus objectively determine whether the patients suffer from halitosis. Such imaginings of halitosis are „not so rare“, In these cases, it would be advisable to involve the psyche therapist in the psyche, stressed Benz. (Fp)

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Picture: Gerd Altmann