Can your breath wilt a flower?

There have been so many questions in my e-mail regarding bad breath (halitosis) but I have been putting off writing about it as the subject matter stinks!

My recent NDE (near death experience) and, perhaps I am exaggerating a bit about it, finally confirmed the urgency of writing about this most unpleasant topic. My NDE was caused by lack of oxygen because I was refraining from inhaling the most toxic odor I had smelled in my life. During an economy, crowded flight from Paris to Toulouse, I had the misfortune of being seated next to a man who had breath that could raise Lazarus from the dead. Unfortunately, he kept talking to me, not realizing that I was hardly participating in the conversation because I was not breathing. When I could not stand it anymore, I stood up to walk towards the bathroom and almost fainted from lack of oxygen. I was blue in the face, which alarmed the stewardesses and prompted them to take immediate action. I thanked my lucky stars for the oxygen on the plane, which is used for emergency cases like mine.

I survived the ordeal but not without the firm resolve to write about it, so as to spare other people from having a toxic experience like mine, but most of all, to arouse consciousness on oral hygiene, the lack of which is usually the cause of bad breath.

We have all found ourselves chatting with someone whose breath could easily wilt a flower. With more than 90 million people suffering from chronic bad breath, that’s a lot of wilted flowers. Most of us have an occasional attack of bad breath that even the strongest Vicks candy can’t fix. It is especially a big turnoff for those who are in a hot relationship that involves a lot of smooching during a date. You wouldn’t want to turn off your partner with your foul breath. How tragic it is if your mate breaks up with you for no other reason than halitosis!

There are remedies now but one has to make a conscious effort to eliminate bad breath forever!

Bad breath is often caused when people aren’t properly taking care of their oral health. The odor is usually caused by decaying food particles and bacteria in the mouth. That’s why brushing and flossing your teeth are so important, but don’t forget to brush your tongue, too, which is a breeding ground for more bacteria.

"The tongue, microscopically, is like a shaggy carpet," says Dr. Wolner, a dentist in New York City. "There are millions of filaments on your tongue that trap tiny food particles and bacteria. Get in the habit of regularly cleaning your tongue using a toothbrush, or a tongue scraper, which one can buy in pharmacies. But make sure to clean all your oral devices thoroughly before putting them back in your mouth," he says.

Mouthwash isn’t a bad idea, but it’s only a temporary fix. Granted, a little mouthwash comes in handy before a romantic dinner for two, but it just masks the odor instead of tackling the source of the problem.

While most bad breath can be banished with simple hygienic steps, there are times when dental or medical conditions might be the culprit. If there is a persistent odor in your mouth and you know that it is not from the pasta that you ate last night, see a dentist. It could be from cavities or tooth decay, or a gum disease that is causing your bad breath.

If your teeth and gums are perfect but the bad breath persists, see your doctor. You may have a lung infection that you are not aware of. Mucous-filled lungs could cause bad breath. The moment the lung infection or a bad cold and cough disappear, so does the bad breath.

Or it could be a stomach problem, so have this checked as well. Or you could be on a low-carb diet. People on low-carb diets develop what is known as "ketone" breath, which is a side effect of lack of carbohydrates. Gum or candy can temporarily mask the odor until you put some carbs in your diet and your breath normalizes.

"You can’t really clean your entire mouth with a toothbrush. Use a water pick, which cleans everything around, and under your gums and between your teeth," says Dr. Wolner. "If food lingers between your teeth where a toothbrush can’t reach, it’s fermenting and this smells bad. Water pick and flossing will cure this so they are top necessities in oral hygiene."

Chew gum like it’s going out of style. Believe it or not, saliva is your best weapon against bad breath. That’s why dry mouth often caused by certain medications or medical conditions leads to breath problems. "By washing away food particles and bacteria, saliva helps to eliminate odor, too. If you are wondering why your breath stinks in the morning, it is largely because saliva production slows while you sleep, allowing particles and odor to linger. When you chew gum it makes you salivate and the more saliva you have in your mouth, the fewer bacteria you have. There are enzymes in our saliva that kill bacteria," says Wolner. "But stick to sugarless gums as sugared gums are bad for the teeth."

Wolner says the older you get, the more likely you are to get dehydrated. You might not even notice you are thirsty, so make it a habit to drink a lot of water as water will help you keep the bacteria in your mouth at a minimum. Drinking water has a lot of benefits and preventing bad breath is one of them.

I got so flabbergasted at a recent survey of different nationalities on oral care. In the most civilized nations, some people use their toothbrush only twice a week! And they have not heard about flossing either.

Is it any wonder there are so many wilted flowers in the world?