Bad breath is hard to detect yourself. Japan expert explains how to deal with it
毎日新聞 • • health
Key Points:
- Bad breath, or halitosis, is caused by bacteria in the mouth breaking down oral mucosa, blood cells, fungi, and food debris, producing foul-smelling substances like volatile sulfur compounds, indole, skatole, butyric acid, and valeric acid.
- Some bad breath odors can resemble feces due to substances like indole and skatole produced by periodontal bacteria, while others smell like rotten vegetables, eggs, or cheese.
- People often cannot detect their own bad breath due to olfactory fatigue, leading to three recognized conditions: genuine halitosis (detectable odor), pseudo-halitosis (complaints without odor), and halitophobia (persistent distress despite treatment).
- Effective treatment involves thorough oral hygiene, especially cleaning the tongue and interdental spaces to remove bacteria and food debris that cause odor, with tongue brushing and interdental brushes or floss recommended.
- Maintaining oral cleanliness not only combats bad breath but is also linked to overall health, as oral bacteria have associations with diseases like heart disease and diabetes.