Breath of life

After spending over 6 months in this particular state in Nigeria, I am yet to adapt to the sight of apparent females draped from head to toe in black satin (cotton and or silk) veils with tiny peepholes towards the head region in front for them to look through. Living next door to a market, I have a personal rule of not buying items from people whose faces I cannot see no matter how badly I need said “stuff”.
Tolerance and understanding is a good thing but trust for a “service provider” is important as well.
Although I would like to talk about how cute I think it is when I happen across a man and his goat taking a leisurely stroll in the street, I restrain myself because this post is about something else, it is about a date gone bad thanks to…

Halitosis

Halitosis aka bad breath, morning breath and breath odor are terms used to describe a noticeably unpleasant odor exhaled on the breath.
It is something people (take for example me) are not usually comfortable talking about which individuals may never notice on their own.
Many people have bad breath. It could be only for a short period for some or persistent for others.

How to find out if you have bad breath: 
Lick the inside of your wrist and wait for the saliva to dry. If the area you licked smells really unpleasant, it is likely that your breath does too (test should be done preferably when you are alone as dogs and cats are the only mammals presently allowed to publicly lick themselves).

The different factors that affect breath include:
1. Negligent brush to mouth relationship: the gums and tongue and not the teeth cause bad breath so when these areas are left out in the daily routine, bad things are bound to brew.
2. Xerostomia: (big word for dry mouth *wink*) When the mouth is dry, saliva production decreases leaving the mouth’s natural ability to clean itself impaired. Saliva acts the mouth’s natural mouthwash, neutralizing acids produced by plaque and washing away dead cells that accumulate on the tongue, gums, and cheeks. If not removed, these cells decompose and can cause bad breath.
Dry mouth may be caused by alcohol consumption, side effects of certain medications, salivary gland problems, or continuous breathing through the mouth instead of the nose.

3. Diet: from basic biology, we know that digestion begins in the mouth. As foods are digested and absorbed into the blood stream, they are eventually carried to the lungs and given off in the breath (worse is when someone burps close to my face!) Foods with strong odors such as onion and garlic will not go away (even after brushing and using mouthwash) until digestion is complete. Smoking or chewing tobacco-based products can also cause bad breathe, stain teeth, reduce the ability to taste foods and irritate the gums (Moral? Quit smoking).
4. Health: bad breath can be sign of an underlying medical condition of the stomach, lungs and bloodstream.

How to treat halitosis:

1. Brush at least twice a day — after breakfast and before bedtime. Brushing the teeth before going to bed drastically reduces the early morning “smelly mouth”. After every meal, rinse the mouth thoroughly to remove food particles from the mouth and if possible, brush the teeth as well.
When brushing your teeth, do not forget the tongue and gums.
Teeth: brush all teeth, not just the front ones. Be sure to brush along the sides and in the back.

Tongue: use toothbrush, the edge of a spoon, or a tongue cleaner to "scrape" your tongue.

Gums: brush the gums lightly with or without toothpaste in small circles with the bristles pointing up towards the gum line at a 45 degree angle for the top, and down at the same angle for the bottom.

As a couple of my friends still do not get why often times they end up being dragged along with me as I scurry through the aisle from one supermarket to the other in search of “my toothbrush”, I’d post a little essay I copied off “ToothbrushSubscriptions.com” about toothbrush bristles and their uses.
There are basically 4 types of (natural or synthetic) toothbrush bristles:

Hard Bristles: The hard bristle toothbrush is typically meant for a mouth containing large, sturdier gums and teeth. The reason many people choose hard-bristle toothbrushes is because they think it will do a better job of cleaning. That, of course, isn’t necessarily true. While it can help those with significant dental issues, hard bristles can lead to bleeding or sore gums and the deterioration of tooth enamel. Furthermore, the damage hard bristles can cause can be very painful. Those who use hard bristle toothbrushes should avoid brushing too hard and should exercise caution.

Medium Bristles: Medium bristles aren’t for everyone. Those with a healthy mouth and teeth that are in good condition may prefer these types of bristles. Medium bristles have some flexibility and can thoroughly clean a patient’s mouth if good brushing techniques are used. However, a patient with sensitive teeth and gums or with mouth sores should avoid these bristles. Like hard bristles, medium bristles can cause bleeding, swelling of the gums, deterioration of tooth enamel and other types of dental pain.

Soft Bristles: Most dentists, as well as the ADA, recommend using a toothbrush with soft bristles. This type of toothbrush has flexible bristles and is easier on the enamel and gums. When you use a toothbrush with soft, flexible bristles, you are able to reach the little nooks and crannies easier than some of its harder counterparts.

Extra-Soft Bristles: These types of bristles are best-suited for patients with extremely sensitive gums and teeth. Elderly patients and children typically use extra-soft bristles. These bristles help children maintain healthy teeth while learning good oral hygiene practices. Soft bristles also help elderly patients who have extremely sensitive teeth.
To prevent bacterial from growing on the bristles, you should always rinse off excess residue after using your toothbrush.

When it comes to storage, your toothbrush should be placed in an upright position and allowed to air-dry. If there is more than one toothbrush, you should store the toothbrushes separately so that they are not touching. Additionally, you should avoid storing your toothbrush in an enclosed case, as bacteria can grow in moist spaces.

To further promote the health of a toothbrush, you can disinfect the toothbrush by soaking it in mouthwash or other types of solutions. If you buy a solution, make sure that it sanitizes the toothbrush and prevents bacteria from growing.


2. If your mouth is dry, drink plenty of water. This will keep your mouth moist - try swooshing it around in your mouth for at least twenty seconds to loosen any food particles bacteria can feed upon. Quit smoking. Tar and nicotine can build up on the surface of the teeth, tongue and cheeks. It can also dry the mouth and inhibit saliva flow. Avoid breath mints and mouthwashes that contain alcohol. They temporarily cover the smell of bad breath but tend to dry the mouth. Rather, go for "alcohol free" products. Chew sugarless gum or suck on sugarless lozenges to increase the flow of saliva. Opt for gums with cinnamon and sweetened with xylitol. While xylitol is a sugar substitute that actually works to prevent bacteria from replicating in the mouth cinnamon flavored gum seems to be especially effective in reducing bacteria counts.

3. Most mouth odors comes from food particles trapped in our mouths. When food remains in the mouth for long, it becomes a breeding ground for bacteria causing bad breath. Avoid eating foods that can affect the breath just before going out (erm... garlic?)
Chlorophyll (think green plants) is a natural breath freshener and is found in leafy green vegetables like lettuce, bell peppers, spinach and parsley among others (I wonder if goats have bad breath).

Snacking on vegetables such as carrots or raw celery or can keep plaque from forming.

Quit smoking.

People on low carbohydrate diet usually have “ketone breath” as the body breaks down fats instead of carbohydrate for energy, it creates ketones, some of which are released in the mouth. Unfortunately, ketones smell bad, and so will the breath. Persons on a strict carb-restricting diet, or any diet that forces them to burn fat instead of carbohydrates should consider throwing healthy carb-rich snacks into the mix, like apples or bananas. Fasting and anorexia also result in ketone breath.

4. Other dental causes of bad breath include poorly fitting dental appliances, yeast infections of the mouth, and dental caries. If a better oral hygiene and diet does not improve breath status, it could be an indication of an underlying medical issue that needs to be treated. Please see a doctor.