No More Halitosis!

9 Reasons Your Breath May Smell

You’re on your way to an important meeting and you realize – your breath is horrible, and you have no time to do anything about it. You have no breath mints, no gum … and no chance of keeping the smell to yourself.

Bad breath can make a really bad impression, but once you understand what’s behind it, you can easily control your halitosis.

The Main Culprits Behind Halitosis:

1. Food. Yes, what you eat can cause your breath to smell. Of course, when you think of food and bad breath, you’re most likely to think of the common breath killers, like onions and garlic. These particular vegetables actually metabolize in a way that not only causes their smell to linger in your mouth, their odor is also secreted through your sweat. But onions and garlic aren’t the only causes of bad breath. Many other vegetables cause bad breath, as do dairy products, which create much more mucus in the mouth and throat. Snacking on a little cheese during happy hour may not be the best idea. Even chocolate can cause halitosis.

2. The breakdown of food in your mouth. As you eat, tiny particles of food become lodged between your teeth and below your gums. These bits of food cause a foul smell as they break down.

3. Beverages. As earlier discussed, dairy causes excess mucus, so dairy drinks can easily cause bad breath that doesn’t quickly dissipate. Sugary drinks cause the bacteria known to cause bad breath to flood the mouth. Bad-breath causing bacteria love to snack on sugar.

4. Dry Mouth. Some people have chronic dry mouth for no known reason. Others suffer from dry mouth as a side-effect of medications they take. Still others may suffer dry mouth from consuming alcohol, or consistently using alcohol-based mouth rinses.

5. Poor oral health. Teeth and gums that are not healthy can emit foul odors. For instance, those with periodontal disease often have strong-smelling breath, and cavities can also cause breath to smell.

6. Health issues. Many health problems can cause bad breath. Those with diabetes may have fruity smelling breath, or breath that smells like markers, if their diabetes is not under control. Those with kidney problems may have fishy smelling breath. And those with acid reflux often have halitosis as well.

7. Illnesses involving the sinus or throat. Whether it’s post-nasal drip caused by the common cold or by nasal allergies, those with upper respiratory illnesses often have bad breath. In fact, doctors can often recognize sinus infections or strep throat based solely on the patient’s breath.

8. Use of tobacco. Smokers and those who chew tobacco have distinctive-smelling bad breath. The more one smokes or chews, the worse the breath can smell.

9. Poor oral care. Some people are prone to skipping the step of brushing their teeth twice daily, and the American Dental Association estimates that up to 80% of individuals don’t floss daily. Brushing teeth properly helps remove unhealthy bacteria from the teeth and gums, which significantly reduces the incidence of bad breath. But even if you brush twice daily like clockwork but skip flossing, you could be leaving your mouth wide open to the effects of halitosis. Flossing teeth significantly helps remove both food and bacteria lodged between teeth in places a toothbrush cannot. It also releases bacteria from below the gum line, not only reducing the likelihood of bad breath, but also significantly reducing the risk of periodontal disease.

Curbing Bad Breath At the Source

Sometimes it’s overwhelming to think of all the ways we can create halitosis. Thankfully, there is one simple way to help reduce halitosis – even morning breath! By altering the bacterial composition of your mouth, you can help crowd out bad-breath causing bacteria. A simple probiotic mint, filled with the beneficial bacteria known to reduce the colonies of harmful, bad-breath causing bacteria, can help control halitosis, regardless of its cause.

Remember, first impressions are lasting impressions. Leave your halitosis fears behind.

Understanding Oral Care Probiotics

What ARE Probiotics

Probiotics are a hot topic in the media today. Want to be more “regular”? Try this yogurt with probiotics. Want to boost your immune health? Try a supplement or another yogurt with probiotics known to support the immune system. In fact, yogurt has long been the delivery system for the beneficial bacteria known as probiotics. So, if you’re the average American who spends time on the Internet or watching TV, it’s likely you’ve heard about probiotics

What Exactly ARE Probiotics?

Probiotics are beneficial bacteria.

There are billions of bacteria in the human body. Actually, it’s thought that there are more bacteria in the human body than the cells that comprise the human body. Most of these beneficial bacteria are basically inert, causing no harm and offering no benefit.

Some of the bacteria in our bodies is harmful. These are what cause your head-cold, your stomach illness and many lesser known health issues.

When  harmful bacteria launch wage war, the beneficial bacteria in the body are right there waiting to fight back. If the beneficial bacteria in your body aren’t prepared to fight off the bad bacteria, you may end up with an infection and a prescription for antibiotics.

The use of probiotics -  be they food additives, supplements or any of the array of products which now include beneficial bacteria – help maintain a healthy balance between beneficial and harmful bacteria in the body.

Probiotics Benefit Mouth, Too

Research has shown that not only are probiotics beneficial for digestive health, they can also affect your oral health. By blending three beneficial bacteria commonly found in very health mouths, researchers at Oragenics, Inc. have created oral care probiotics for the entire family, focusing on maintaining a healthy balance of bacteria in the mouth. EvoraPro is a professional-strength oral-care probiotic meant for use after a professional dental cleaning or scaling. EvoraPlus is an oral care mint, which, when used twice daily, can help support gum and tooth health, freshen breath and naturally and gently whiten teeth. EvoraPlus is blended specifically to address the oral care needs of the those over the age of 10. EvoraKids oral care probiotics are blended to address the oral care needs of children ages 3-10. And even your pets can have fresher breath and whiter, cleaner teeth with Teddy’s Pride oral care probiotics for cats and dogs.

Ah – ah- ah- ACHOO!

Keeping Your Distance From the Common Cold and Flu

It seems everyone in your home or your office is sneezing up a storm. Your daughter’s nose won’t stop running. She has a low-grade fever and is complaining of a sore throat. Or your colleague in the office next door is hacking away with a deep chest cough. You know that with each cough, germs are being spewed into the air. You wish he had called in sick.

When those around you are suffering from the common cold, there is one strong feeling that probably accompanies your sympathy for them – a strong desire to not “catch” whatever ails them, be it a bacterial or viral infection. Whatever it is, you surely don’t want it.

How Can You Arm Your Immune System for Its Fight Against the Cold or Flu?

There are many commonsense approaches to keep in mind when those around you have a contagious illness: Wash your hands often. Avoid direct contact with the person’s belongings (especially any phone the person may have used!). Use ample amounts of hand sanitizer. Don’t grab a tissue from a tissue box in a common area. Don’t eat food off of a platter from which those who are sick may have also eaten.

Think About Your Face

When there’s a nasty “bug” going around, don’t touch your mouth, nose, ears or eyes with unwashed or unsanitized hands. The bacteria or virus that is causing the illness that is tormenting those around you enters your body through your mouth, your nose your ears or your eyes. Think about how often you casually wipe your eyes after you’ve been working at your computer for an extended period, or how you might casually itch near your mouth or nose. Even resting your chin in your hand is dangerous territory when you’re trying not to get sick. Touching your face is the fastest way to introduce illness-causing germs to gain a foothold in your body.

Boost Your Immune System and Stay Healthy!

Here are some ways to support your body’s natural germ-fighting defenses:

•    Brush your teeth. Yep – it sounds a little silly, but brushing your teeth can help remove some of the germs that may have entered your mouth in an effort to make you the next victim of that wicked cold or horrid flu. Before you brush your teeth, make sure you thoroughly wash your hands. Also, make sure your toothbrush is clean. If it’s more than six weeks old, get a new one. Toothbrushes should be thrown out after you have used them for about four to six weeks. Beyond that window of time, your toothbrush is simply too worn out to be effective. If your toothbrush is newer than that, pour a small amount of hydrogen peroxide on the bristles between brushings and be sure to let your toothbrush dry out before you brush again. Hydrogen peroxide will wipe out the harmful bacteria hiding in your bristles, and bacteria can’t survive on dry nylon bristles. You could even splurge and buy yourself a second brush. By alternating use between two brushes, you can ensure that your brush is dry and bacteria-free before you brush again.

•    Take some probiotics. Probiotics for digestive health can help boost your immune system, because they fortify the native bacteria in your digestive tract. By supplementing with a digestive probiotic, you‘re giving your digestive bacteria a little extra help as they wrestle with the foreign, illness-causing bacteria. While you have probiotics on your mind, add EvoraPlus and EvoraKids oral care probiotics to your shopping list. Oral care probiotics help support gum and tooth health by crowding out harmful bacteria in the mouth. EvoraKids is formulated specifically to address the oral care needs of children ages 3-10, while EvoraPlus is the proper formulation for those over the age of 11. EvoraPlus not only supports gum and tooth health, it also naturally freshens breath at the source and gently whitens teeth.

•    Boost your vitamin C intake. What your mother and grandmother told you is true: drink your orange juice! Orange juice isn’t the only way to get vitamin C, though. Many vitamin C supplements are now combined with other immune-boosting supplements. These products are so common that you can likely find them at your local pharmacy, or in the supplement section of your favorite grocery store.

Don’t fall victim to the common cold and flu! When those around you are suffering with a cold or the flu, taking precautions can help you from becoming the next person who needs a sick day.

What’s That? I Need A Breath Mint?

Do you think your breath smells? Do you know?

If you notice that lots of people are offering your breath mints or gum, it really might mean that you DO have bad breath. Like the old saying goes, never turn down a breath mint!

Bad breath, also known as halitosis, is one of the most common oral health complaints.

The Bad News Behind Bad Breath

Unfortunately, the bad news about bad breath is that you may be the last to know that you have it.

The other bad news is that most breath fresheners not only cannot be trusted to do their jobs, but they are also usually full of sugar which is the ideal food for the bacteria that are causing your bad breath in the first place.

Yep, that’s right. Not only do breath fresheners NOT make your breath fresher, they actually make your breath smell worse.

Why Don’t Most Breath Fresheners Work?

Here’s how it works: Inside your mouth, there are hundreds of different species of bacteria. Most of them are completely harmless – they just find the warm, wet, dark place that is the human mouth a good place to call home. A few are a little more worrisome.

The worrisome bacteria include the bacteria known to cause tooth decay and periodontal disease.
Then there are a few other bacteria in the mouth that are considered beneficial bacteria. Why beneficial? Because, by their very presence, they keep the bad bacteria at bay. They compete for space and nutrients, effectively crowding out the harmful bacteria.

So, who’s to blame for your bad breath?

You guessed it – the same bacteria that claims the blame for cavities and periodontal disease. You see, when these little guys feast on sugar (a common ingredient in most breath fresheners) and other food particles, they release Volatile Sulfur Compounds , which smell just as bad as they sound.

Oral Care Probiotics For Truly Fresh Breath

The only way to truly eliminate bad breath is to get rid of the bacteria that causes it. By using a probiotic mint twice daily, you can allow the beneficial bacteria to keep the bad bacteria in check, and finally kiss that bad breath goodbye!

Now that makes sense!

Are Harmful Bacteria Winning the War in Your Mouth?

If you’re like most people, you probably brush your teeth at least twice daily, floss as often as possible and visit your dentist whenever it’s recommended. But are you happy with the appearance of your teeth? Are they white enough? And how about your breath? Minty fresh? If you’re not happy with your oral health basics, you’re not alone.

If you’re dedicated to following a pretty good oral care routine and still have stained (or yellow) teeth and bad breath, you may have a bacterial imbalance in your mouth. Like everywhere else in your body, your  mouth is loaded with bacteria. Each of those bacteria have a different story. Some of them are good for your tooth and gum health. Some are harmful. And many just happen to like the warm, wet, dark digs your mouth provides.

The harmful and beneficial bacteria in your mouth are directly at odds with one another. They compete for space on the teeth and food. If the bad bacteria is winning that war, one way you’ll know is in the smell of your breath. The harmful bacteria that reside in the mouth produces volatile sulfur compounds (VOCs) which are best known for their rotten-egg smell. Now, your breath doesn’t have to smell like rotten eggs to know that bad bacteria and VOCs are causing foul play. Bad breath is a sign that things are not right, and one simple way to rectify the situation is to address the bacterial imbalances in your mouth. Oral care probiotics help restore the beneficial bacteria in your mouth, giving those harmful bacteria less food to munch on and less room to grow.

Other signs that bad bacteria are gaining a strong foothold include poor tooth and gum health and bleeding gums.

For the moment, bad bacteria may be winning the battle in your mouth. But you don’t have to let them win the war! Fight back with oral care probiotics!

What’s That Smell?

Ready to Kiss That Morning Breath Goodbye?

Was it the onions on your salad? That cup of decaf after dinner? When you wake up with morning breath, the cause hardly matters. You want the bad taste in your mouth – and the stink that goes with it – gone, and fast, please!

If your morning breath is caused by foods like garlic, onions or even beverages coffee, it will probably linger even if you give brushing and flossing your very best shot. The breakdown of food particles in and around your teeth can cause a lasting foul odor. After foods like onions and garlic are digested and the pungent oils are absorbed into your bloodstream, they’re carried to your lungs and are given off in your breath until the foods are eliminated from your body.

Another major cause of morning breath is dry mouth. Not only do our mouths produce less saliva at night, if you are a mouth-breather or someone who snores through your mouth, you’re likely to have a very dry mouth at night. This can translate to some very smelly breath in the morning. Drinking alcohol can also lead to dry mouth.

If you suffer from periodontal disease, you may also have morning breath. Fortunately, this is something you can potentially avoid by brushing and flossing properly before bed each night. If you don’t brush and floss daily, food particles remain in your mouth, collecting bacteria that can emit chemicals, such as hydrogen sulfide — the compound that gives rotten eggs their characteristic smell. Over time, a colorless, sticky film of bacteria called (plaque) forms on your teeth.

If it’s not brushed away, plaque can irritate your gums, causing gingivitis and tooth decay, and eventually forming plaque-filled pockets between your teeth and gums called periodontitis.

The microscopic uneven surface of the tongue also can trap bacteria that produce odors.

In addition to carefully and thoroughly brushing and flossing your teeth before bed each night, consider using oral care probiotics. By flooding the mouth with good bacteria, oral care probiotics leave little room for smelly bacteria to thrive. But don’t think of it as a short-term solution like a piece of gum or a mouthwash. Used twice daily, oral care probiotics hit bad breath where it really counts, knocking out the bad bacteria in places that brushing and flossing alone simply can’t, like in the pits and crevices of the teeth, deep beneath the gums and in the surface of the tongue.

Now that you know what’s behind that stinky morning breath, don’t you think it’s time to go ahead and kiss it goodbye?

Do Tongue Scrapers Beat Bad Breath?

Do you use a tongue scraper? Why? Because you like the way your tongue feels after it has been scraped? Does it make your mouth feel cleaner? Do you think it makes your breath fresher?

Tongue scrapers come in all shapes and sizes – and with all kinds of promises. From reducing bad breath to allegedly reducing plaque build-up, tongue scrapers are often touted as one of the best over-the-counter dental tools.

By scraping the surface of the tongue, these devices are said to eliminate bacteria in the mouth and improve bad breath.

The truth is, a good old tooth brush, tooth paste, and dental floss are actually the most important tools for maintaining oral health – just ask your dentist!

While most people brush their teeth at least once or twice daily, flossing falls far behind, with only about 12 percent of Americans flossing daily, and 49 percent don’t floss at all.

The American Dental Association says that there are many benefits to regular flossing, including decreased risk of gum disease, better breath, reduced plaque build-up between teeth and polished tooth surfaces. You simply cannot go wrong by taking a little extra time to floss daily.

What if Brushing and Flossing Aren’t Busting Your Bad Breath?

If you have persistent bad breath, it probably means that there is a bacterial imbalance in your mouth. The best way to kiss bad breath (and its ugly cousin, morning breath) good-bye is to get the bacteria in your mouth back in balance.

What?! I Have Bacteria in My Mouth?

You sure do. In fact, the human mouth is home to between 700 – 800 bacteria. Most of these bacteria are just hanging around because the mouth is a warm, wet, dark place. They cause no harm and affect no benefit. A few, however, are to blame for bad breath. These bacteria naturally emit volatile sulfur compounds as a byproduct. These VSCs are to blame for the vast majority of chronic bad breath conditions.

On the flip side, there are also beneficial bacteria that make their home in the human mouth. If you have chronic bad breath, you are likely lacking in the beneficial bacteria department.

An Easy Fix for a Stinky Problem

Many cultures have long relied on the health benefits of beneficial bacteria, often called probiotics. Through more than 25 years of research, one American researcher, Dr. Jeffrey Hillman, has identified three strains of probiotics found in very healthy mouths. Using this information, Dr. Hillman had developed a probiotic mint that, when used twice daily after brushing, can stop bad-breath-causing bacteria in its tracks. The beneficial bacteria in these mints crowd out the bacteria responsible for bad breath making your mouth kissing fresh – even before you brush in the morning.

Bad Breath Might Be a Bad Sign

Is Bacteria Attacking Your Pets’ Organs?

According to the American Veterinary Medical Association, 80 percent of dogs and 70 percent of cats show signs of oral disease by age three – Pet lovers are sure to find this statistic very startling, since most of us still thik of our pets as puppies and kittens at age three!

Does Your Pet Have Periodontal Disease?

Periodontal disease is caused by the accumulation of dental plaque and inflammation of the tissues in the mouth. When the gums become inflamed, enzymes start to break down the connective tissues surrounding the teeth. This breakdown of tissues allows harmful bacteria that naturally reside in your pets’ mouths to pass through the tissue and into the bloodstream, where it can affect the liver, kidneys and heart.

The hallmark symptom of periodontal disease in pets is bad breath  -  the kind of bad breath that makes y0u not want to share a smooch, no matter how much you love your dog or cat.

If you mention that breath to your vet, he’s likely to recommend that you brush your pets’ teeth – a task that can be messy and stressful for both you and your pet.

I Love My Pets, But I Hate Their Breath!

Don’t worry! There’s a very simple way to eliminate stinky breath. By adding oral probiotics to your pets’ food once daily, you can improve the population of good bacteria in your pets’ mouths. These beneficial bacteria – or probiotics – eat the same foods and populate the same areas of the mouth as harmful bacteria. When you give the beneficial bacteria the upper hand, they return the favor by pushing out the harmful bacteria.

And with that, viola!

Bye-bye bad breath!

The Embarrassment of Bad Breath

Balancing Your Mouth’s Ecosystem Key to Controlling Bad Breath

Brushing, flossing and using mouthwash are not enough to eliminate some cases of bad breath. That, my friends, is not headline news for those who battle chronic halitosis. For those who endure the daily struggle with bad breath, it’s no shocker to learn that what is considered basic dental hygiene doesn’t eliminate – or even tone down – their bad breath.

Recent studies back up what halitosis sufferers have known all along: brushing, flossing, visits to the dentists, mouth washes and breath fresheners simply may not be enough to combat the root cause of bad breath.

Researchers have found that the most effective treatment for bad breath is to adjust the ecological system of bacteria in the mouth, restoring the ratio of health and unhealthy bacteria to equilibrium.

The study, published in the journal Applied and Environmental Microbiology found that all mouths have the odor-causing bacteria. People with bad breath actually have an imbalance of healthy and unhealthy mouth bacteria which leads to an overgrowth of the germs that cause bad breath.

“The results of this investigation clearly demonstrate that oral malodor is a symptom based on the characteristic occupation of indigenous oral bacterial populations, rather than solely on bacterial overgrowth due to poor oral hygiene,” say the researchers.

In other words, making the assumption that bad breath is the result of poor oral hygiene is like making the assumption that dandruff is caused solely by not washing hair.

One of the best ways to remedy this imbalance is to introduce native oral care probiotics into the mouth. These beneficial bacteria compete with harmful bacteria for space and nutrients in the mouth. The end result is fresher breath.

Holy Halitosis!

Is Your Bad Breath Caused By Acid Reflux?

If you struggle with bad breath, it could be caused by many different things: the foods you eat, the beverages you enjoy; your brushing or flossing habits; allergies or sinus issues; and even acid reflux.

What is acid reflux?

There is a tight closure called the lower esophageal sphincter that normally keeps the contents of the stomach from flowing from the stomach into the esophagus. It is this flowing of stomach acid and partially digested food that is acid reflux.

What causes the lower esophageal sphincter to relax is anyone’s guess. Sometimes it is caused by pressure on the stomach caused by pregnancy, weight gain or even just by severe indigestion.

How Does Acid Reflux Cause Bad Breath?

Acid reflux can cause bad breath a number of ways. When you are having a flare-up of symptoms, the acid washing up your throat and into your mouth can cause a smell. This is especially true if you experience a sour taste in your mouth. Even when you feel better, that acid-smell may still linger in your mouth, so be sure to brush and floss.

Reflux-related belching is also a source of unpleasant breath.

If you experience a sore throat in addition to the bad breath, be sure to contact your doctor. A sore throat coupled with acid reflux can indicate a condition called “acid erosion.” Not only could this contribute to bad breath, it may require medical attention.

What’s the Best Way to Avoid Acid-Reflux Related Halitosis

If you frequently suffer from severe heartburn or what you think is acid reflux, you should see your doctor to rule out a significant medical condition.

To get mild-to-moderate reflux under control, try these tips:
•    Try not to eat a heavy or late dinner. Reflux often flares after dinner because food hasn’t moved out of the stomach by the time we go to bed.
•    Cut back on the spicy and fatty foods, which are more likely to cause reflux.
•    Eat slowly, and chew your food properly. Gulping food and drinks is a major cause of acid reflux.
•    Never, ever lie down after eating. Even reclining can cause food to wash back up your esophagus.
•    Get moving! Going for a walk after eating is the best way to get your digestion going.