An Air of Halitosis

http://health.yahoo.com/experts/drmao/5228/an-air-of-halitosis/


An Air of Halitosis

If bad breath is in the air and it belongs to you, your digestion system may be trying to tell you something about your general health. Read on to find out what halitosis can mean and how to freshen your breath.

Causes of Halitosis
The gums and the mouth are an extension of the digestive system, and according to traditional Chinese medicine, they represent the condition of the stomach.

Emotions play a role, as well. Excess anger, frustration, and worry can disturb the digestive rhythms, causing food to stagnate and ferment and contributing to bacteria overgrowth and bad breath. Certain foods such as garlic and onion contain volatile oils and sulfur compounds that give off their unpleasant odor.



Diet Do's and Don'ts for Clearing Up Bad Breath
Do's: To prevent bad breath and the gum diseases that cause bad breath, eat a varied diet that includes plenty of fresh fruits, leafy vegetables, organic lean meats, and whole grains. Also change the way you eat. Chew each bite well, eat more meals with smaller portions throughout the day, and never skip a meal. Drinking lots of room temperature water is also helpful.

Don'ts: Avoid sugars, refined processed foods, and highly acidic foods. Alcohol, coffee, as well as hot, spicy and greasy foods produce bad breath. Carbonated drinks and sour acidic foods should be avoided because they can cause imbalances in the oral pH balance and damage the teeth.

Remedies to Combat Bad Breath

Nothing replaces brushing teeth on a regular basis as a preventive for gum disease. Always brush before and after meals and before and after sleep. Rinse thoroughly and use mouthwash, warm salt water, or diluted food grade hydrogen peroxide as an antibacterial mouth rinse.
Drink green tea often; it is a great antibacterial and can cleanse the oral cavity and helps reduce fermentation.
Make your own mouthwash by mixing equal parts of sage, peppermint, and mint oils in a glass of lukewarm water. Stir well and use it to rinse your mouth.
Folic acid as mouthwash and in capsules has been shown to prevent and heal gum disease, which causes bad breath. As mouthwash use 0.1 percent solution; as capsules take four mg daily.
Chlorophyll (found in alfalfa) combats bad breath by helping clear toxins from the body.
Acidophilus replenishes the "friendly" bacteria in the colon. And by aiding digestion, it may also prevent bad breath.
Chew on or drink a tea made from anise, cloves, fennel, and parsley. These are helpful herbs for eliminating bad breath. Other good herbal treatments for gum disease include bloodroot, caraway, Echinacea, sage oil, peppermint, menthol, and myrrh.
I hope this advice gives you a fresh perspective on breath! I invite you to visit often and share your own personal health and longevity tips with me.

May you live long, live strong, and live happy!

-Dr. Mao