If we were truly committed in our desire to treat bad breath effectively, then we would consult with a dentist when the problem did not go away with simple oral hygiene measures such as brushing, flossing, and using mouthwash daily. However, no one wants to admit to having chronic bad breath issues so we try to treat the condition on our own. To this end, we scour store shelves for bad breath products that will hopefully take care of things without involving our dentist. Unfortunately, not only do most products fail to truly alleviate the problem for more than an hour or two-sometimes the things we take to treat bad breath end up making the problem worse!
If you were to take a good look at the ingredients in most products for halitosis, you might find that they read more like the periodic table of elements than in anything that might actually be healthy for our body, including:
- Zinc Oxide
- Chlorine Dioxide
- Oxychlorine
- Hydrogen Peroxide
With the exception of hydrogen peroxide, none of the products above will help the body to naturally cure bad breath. Where hydrogen peroxide is concerned, it is beneficial because it helps oxygenate the oral cavity while helping to control anaerobic bacteria levels. The other products also kill off bacteria but they tend to cause side effects that may cause dehydration and lowered levels of saliva in your mouth. When trying to prevent bad breath, the last thing you want to take is something that causes dry mouth and lower salivation rates.
Bad breath problems are almost always caused by oral bacteria in your mouth-specifically, anaerobic bacteria. These microbes don’t actually cause the odor that we associate with halitosis but their by-products do, such as:
- Methyl Mercaptan
- Dimethyl Sulfide
- Hydrogen Sulfide
In order to remedy a bad breath problem so that it does not return in an hour or two, you need to control the bacteria responsible for producing the by-products responsible for the odor. Saliva is the natural cure for bad breath because it helps control the microbes and their by-products in the following ways:
- Washes away both the food particles that bacteria feed upon and the by-products they secrete as waste
- Has high levels of oxygen which lower the reproductive rate of these bacteria so that less by-products are produced
- Help in the production of antibodies that literally neutralize the bacteria themselves
Thus, any bad breath products that lower saliva levels in the oral cavity can actually make the problem worse, not better. In order to fight bad breath and halitosis without worries about dehydration and dry mouth, try looking for oral hygiene products with the following natural ingredients:
- Lemon Oil
- Tea Tree Oil
- Eucalyptus Oil
- Thyme Oil
- Vitamin C
- Vitamin D
You can treat bad breath problems in most cases without consulting with a dentist if you know what products to look for and be sure to avoid any known to cause dehydration.
