Saturday, January 31, 2009

It's Official, Bad Breath Really Does Stink But Your Breath Doesn't Have To Smell Bad

Bad breath, also known by the medical term halitosis, is often caused by inadequate oral hygiene. However it's not the only cause, with other possibilities including:
· Dental caries
· Respiratory tract infections (nose, throat, lungs, sinus)


· Infected gums
· Constipation
· Indigestion
· Inadequate diet
· Fever
· Diabetes
· Smoking
· Kidney or liver dysfunctions
· Alcohol abuse

The reason we often wake up in the morning with bad breath is because our mouths tend to dry out overnight. Many people breathe through their mouths while asleep, leading to poor hydration. A good quantity of saliva is necessary to wash your mouth free of the bacteria that cause breath odor.

A lack of proper nutrition can also cause bad breath when your body is trying to decompose the stored fats and proteins. The process of degradation releases certain metabolic products that have a bad smell, and so when you breathe out your breath smells bad as well.

Coffee can also be a culprit in bad breath. When you drink coffee, small particles are placed on your tooth enamel or directly into your digestive system. So when you exhale, the bad smell comes back up into your mouth. Coffee isn't the only offender in this respect - beer, whiskey, wine and other alcoholic drinks all have a very similar effect. That's why many alcoholics have bad breath.

So if you have bad breath, what can you do to eradicate it?
· Avoid using condiments on your food, as the smell can last for hours. Oils with a pungent smell are major offenders and the smell can last up to 24 hours
· Make sure you gargle regularly with a quality mouthwash
· Hydrate your body. Drink lots of water that's as free from impurities such as suspended particles and chemicals as possible
· Keep your mouth clean. Use a good toothbrush, floss daily, and visit your dentist regularly
· Follow a green diet to hydrate your body and remove toxins from
Be very careful when choosing a mouthwash, because many of the mouthwash manufacturers add colorants, alcohol and flavors to make them palatable. While mouthwash can help eliminate bad breath, it can also irritate your tongue, gums and the mucous membrane if you use it too often. So be sensible with it.

If you find that despite all your best efforts the bad breath persists, then it's a good idea to visit your doctor. Some bad breath is caused by problems in the digestive system, so it's important to have that possibility checked out when other measures have failed.

By Tim Gorman

For ways to make your breath smell better try visiting http://www.bad-breath-relief.com/ where you will quickly and easily find a variety of tips, advice and resources on how to turn bad breath into fresh breath.

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Friday, January 30, 2009

Infant Bad Breath

Usually, when we think about bad breath, we are not thinking of infant bad breath. The breath of infants and small children is generally quite pleasant: halitosis in this age group is relatively rare. It does occur from time to time, however, and dealing with it requires some special considerations.



In a young child bad breath can be a sign of some other illness, so before taking any specific measures to treat the breath odor, ask yourself if your child appears healthy. Is he or she eating a healthy balanced diet? Are there any signs of illness such as digestive upsets, respiratory problems, allergies? Has your child had a checkup with the doctor and dentist recently? Particularly in the case of infant bad breath, some signs of underlying illness can be very subtle, so if you have any doubts, make the appropriate appointments.

Identifying the source of uncomplicated child breath odor can be a process of elimination. If the problem is chronic, it is probably not being caused by occasional ingestion of problem foods like garlic, spices, or strong cheese. In many cases, increased attention to oral hygiene will solve the problem. Because most breath odors originate in the mouth, it's important for children to brush well and often. Avoiding sweet foods can also help as sugar promotes both bacterial growth and tooth decay. These possibilities, however, are seldom applicable to infants and infant bad breath.

In an infant bad breath is not usually due to poor oral hygiene, but may occur if there are sores in the mouth. Many infants suck pacifiers or other objects which become coated with saliva and oral bacteria and may be the source of an unpleasant odor. Wash pacifiers often and replace them as soon as they begin to look worn. If your baby sucks on a blanket or stuffed toy, wash it frequently. Also, check for nasal blockage: foreign objects obstructing the nostrils will soon cause problems of various types. Even sinus congestion due to a cold or allergy will cause a child to breathe through the mouth, which dries out the oral tissues and results in child bad breath.

When attempting to treat infant bad breath, remember that children should not be given antiseptic mouthwash or many of the other things that adults commonly use. Babies can’t be trusted not to swallow mouthwash or choke on breath mints. Before using any product to treat child bad breath, read the label carefully and/or consult your doctor.

By R. Drysdale

R. Drysdale is a freelance writer with more than 25 years experience as a health care professional. She is a contributing editor to Infant Bad Breath, a blog dedicated to the treatment of bad breath.

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Thursday, January 29, 2009

How To Prevent Or Get Rid Of Halitosis-Bad Breath

Have you ever thought about the breath that comes out of you and what it does to the other person? The mouth has an acceptable odor. But malodor occurs when you allow bacteria to make home on the surface and back of your tongue, below the gum line and in between teeth, because of poor oral hygiene.

Halitosis or bad breath has robbed many people of their social standing and curtailed their ability to take advantage of opportunities. Because their breath puts people off. Breath odor is at its worse in socials. Think what will happen if you did not know that you had bad breath and you tried to kiss your date, at that crucial moment of establishing intimacy, and she pulls away, disgusted?

Ah sure, you will be bewildered as to why she behaved that way. In 99% of such instances she will not tell you why and you will not see her again, she will shun your overtures and put paid to the budding relationship. No one will conveniently put up with mouth odor from you. If they have no choice, they despise you secretly.

Oral health depends greatly on personal habit. How often do you brush and floss? Do you scrape your tongue to clean out food deposit that accumulates on it? Eating and allowing food particles to decay in the different hard to access spaces in between teeth, on your tongue and gums will eventually cause Halitosis causing bacteria to develop, multiply and make you an out cast. Because anyone who listens to whatever you have to say gets turned off the moment you open your mouth.

So what will you do to get rid of your bad breath?

Chlorine dioxide toothpaste is the main oral health care product that you should use to fight Halitosis

Wash your mouth and gargle thrice daily with chlorine dioxide mouthwash or oral rinses too.
Keep your tongue clean by using a tongue scraper twice daily to remove food residue coatings overtaking your tongue.

Get professional advice online or find an offline Professional to give your mouth cavity thorough cleaning
Drink 8 cups of water daily
Prevention ranks higher than cure in health care, take good care of your mouth and all that is in it. Proper oral hygiene such as brushing at least twice a day, flossing daily, cleaning your tongue and gums daily will keep out Halitosis causing bacteria. All you need to prevent or get rid of Bad breath are available online at prices you can afford.

By Charles Neshah

Neshah writes for your sound health – For free information on oral hygiene and dental care resourceful links visit Opalescence Tooth Whitening Success or Confident Opalescence Smiles Blog

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How To Keep Your Shoes Smelling Fresh

Having smelly sneakers is, to say the least, a big problem. I’m sure everyone has had issues with this at least once in their lifetime. If you found this article, you definitely know what I’m talking about. What I’m going to do here is to lay down a few strategies that you may want to put to use in order to keep your sneakers and footwear in general smelling fresh.



Because it’s better to prevent something bad from happening than to try to fix it when it’s already too late, I will offer here only tips on preventing the bad smell from sticking to your shoes. If your shoes already stink, the situation is a little more complicated and it deserves its own article.

I the order of importance, these are the things you must do to avoid stinky shoes:

1. Buy quality shoes. The fist thing you must watch for is the quality of your footwear. Try to only buy shoes made of natural materials, because they allow you feet to breathe and the sweat dissipates much easier. Synthetics are toxic for your feet, because they prevent ventilation. You go for an hour jogging wearing them and the next thing you know, everything around starts rotting.

It is nice to see good looking shoes at low prices and you may think you’re getting a good deal. Trust me, you’re not! They will break sooner that you can imagine, and the cost and effort to keep them in good condition and smelling great will far exceed the amount you saved by going for cheaper shoes.
So I recommend you invest a little more when shopping for shoes because the benefits are far greater.

2. Maintain hygiene. Nothing new here, but a lot of people seem to overlook this detail. When you’re showering, don’t forget to wash your feet too. It sounds dumb, I know, but when showering, most tend to forget about the feet. Since all water and soap goes to the feet, why bother washing them? But that’s not enough. We’re talking about the most awful smelling part of our bodies. Do you think only water and soap will do the trick? I don’t think so.

There are many types of abrasive stones and sponges you can find in the stores specifically for this. Use them. They work wonders. They remove the dead lair of skin on your feet, the one that causes most of the bad smell.

Also, alternate cold and hot water on your feet. It better cleans the pores in your skin and well, the sweat smells a little better. If your feet smell so bad, you should also alternate soap brands. Soaps have different composition and they act on different chemicals. If you use two soap brands, you’re more likely to neutralize more of the bacteria that produce bad odor.

3. Change your socks often. Again, very obvious, but still, most forget about it. Use a clean pair of socks every day. Changing them twice or even three times a day is ideal, but once is the minimum allowed. If you use the same socks as yesterday, your shoes and feet may have something to say about it. And you don’t want to hear it!

If you do jogging or other sport, wash your feet before putting another pair of socks on.
Oh, and make sure you wear socks made of cotton or even wool, because synthetics make you feet rot.

4. Rotate you shoes. You should have more than one pair of shoes. One day you can use one pair, the next day another pair. This way, they have enough time to take some air and for the sweat to evaporate.

5. Leave your shoes to breathe. It’s a good practice when you get home to put your shoes somewhere out in the open (not if it rains, of course). The wind will brow some fresh air and the sweat will evaporate. And for some reason, when you put on a pair of shoes that’s been ventilated, you feel so comfortable. It’s like you have new shoes. You should do this especially if you’re involved in some kind of sport.

6. Clean your shoes once in a while. I don’t know why, but when you keep them clean on the outside, they tend to stay fresh on the inside for longer. Maybe because you sense that something isn’t all right on the inside and you need to do something about it. But don’t rely solely on this. You won’t get the results you crave for.

7. If they’re wet, leave somewhere to dry. If it rains, make sure you put the shoes to dry before putting them in the shoe box or wearing them again. When there is water inside the shoes, they start to rot in less than a day and it smells awful, especially if they are already a little smelly.

If you follow at least some of these simple strategies, you shouldn’t be having any problem with bad odors coming from your shoes any time soon.You can find more valuable information about sneakers at http://www.a1-sneakers.com/ and also, an up to date list of tips to keep shoes smelling fresh at http://www.a1-sneakers.com/ways-to-prevent-shoe-odor.shtml

By Eugen Lisov

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Monday, January 26, 2009

How To Get Rid Of Bad Breath - Tips to Get Rid of Bad Breath

How to get rid of bad breath? Bad breath is a very common problem and there are many different causes. Bad breath is the common name for the medical condition known as halitosis.



The fact is, breath odor is something many people are completely unaware of and maybe it is a very taboo subject between most people. It's impossible to determine how severe your bad breath is, unless you test it for yourself or the best way is to ask a trusted friend or loved one.
Bad Breath is an embarrassing problem; it is interfering with your social or professional success. The good news is that bad breath can often be prevented with some simple steps.

How to get rid of bad breath?

Tips to get rid of bad breath:
- Bad breath is usually caused by the bacteria that live in a person's mouth. Since bad breath is mostly due to bacterial putrefaction in an unclean mouth, it can often be remedied by better mouth cleaning. So, Good oral hygiene is essential in battling bad breath, the first step in getting rid of bad breath is to make sure you are properly brushing your teeth.
- Bad Breath is caused by anaerobic bacteria invading coatings or biofilms that build up on the tongue teeth and nasal passages. Scientific studies have shown that bad breath is caused by bacteria that accumulate on the back of your tongue. So remember to clean and scrub your tongue.
- Bad breath is also associated with sinus infections because nasal discharge from your sinuses into the back of your throat can cause mouth odor. If your Bad Breath is Sinus related then this will get deep into the Sinus Passages, clear the infection and promote a neutral smell and taste in the mouth.
- Bad breath is also caused by dry mouth (xerostomia), which occurs when the flow of saliva decreases so another step in how to get rid of bad breath is to keep the mouth moist.
- Bad breath is caused by lots of things including certain foods, usually caused by the breakdown of food in your body such as garlic or onion.
- Due to the nature of antibiotics they are not a good idea for the treatment of bad breath and an alternative bad breath remedy should be sought.
- Bad breath is not a disease; it is rather a symptom, which indicates the presence of disease either within the mouth or away from the mouth. You may want to consult to your dentist or doctor to find out a more serious condition that may be causing your bad breath.

There are some of tips how to get rid of bad breath, which may help you to get rid of your bad breath. Good oral hygiene is the important; it is a must in the treatment of bad breath.

Bad breath is caused by lots of things including certain foods, inadequate oral hygiene and health conditions. So when you notice that something is wrong with your breath, start looking for a possible cure or treatment of chronic bad breath.

Bad breath is such a common problem in today's society. Although common, chronic bad breath is not a laughing matter as it might signal a more serious medical problem that needs to be treated and solved.

By Riri Shandra

(c) How to Get Rid Of Bad Breath
So you have a bad breath problem! Does Bad breath affects your love life and social life? Does Bad breath make your feel EMBRASSING? I want to give The GOOD News with “EFFECTIVE How to Get Rid of Bad Breath” Click here: Learn How to Get Rid of Bad Breath FOREVER!

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Sunday, January 25, 2009

Get Rid of Bad Breath

Getting rid of bad breath is a challenge that never seems to go away. Though almost all of us have an unpleasant taste in the mouth from time to time, and an offensive odor on the breath, an unfortunate few have a really bad case of chronic halitosis - although we've discovered what generates the odor, we still don't always know why, or how to permanently fix the problem.



When we're fighting breath odor, in some cases the answers are clear: gum disease and dental decay are well known causes of that bad odor. It's not the inflammation and cavities themselves that smell; it's the bacteria that are able to proliferate under those conditions. These are anaerobic bacteria - bacteria that grow in places where there is no oxygen, like in pockets and folds of receding gums, between unhealthy teeth, and on the back of the tongue. When they metabolize proteins for energy, they give of the odor of typical bad breath. To get rid of bad breath in this scenario, the first step is to treat the problems in the mouth.

Similarly, if there are sinus problems, or post nasal drip, fighting bad breath involves trying to make the sinuses and nasal passages healthier places. That constant flow of mucus and dead cells from inflammation down the back of the throat fosters the growth of the same anaerobic bacteria found in gum disease. If the problem can be healed or even improved, it may get rid of bad breath without any other action being needed.

Sometimes, however, it's not clear what's causing the problem, or attempts to remedy the situation don't get rid of bad breath. In these cases, all one can do is treat the symptom rather than the underlying cause. First, visit you dentist and doctor to be sure there isn't something you've missed and to confirm that you really do have bad breath (a lot of people actually think they have halitosis when they do not). If medical specialists confirm that you are fighting bad breath and that you are basically healthy, you'll need to experiment with a few breath products to find something that works for you.

Remember that the odor is caused by anaerobic bacteria - the best approach to get rid of bad breath is to focus on eliminating these bacteria. Fresh breath products approach the problem in different ways. Some contain chemicals like chlorhexidine that are antibacterial and kill the offenders directly. Others deliver oxygen, or the mineral zinc, both of which make the mouth an unwelcoming place for anaerobes. Another type of breath freshener focuses on physical removal of bacteria for fighting bad breath. Some, of course, combine the different approaches.

Fighting bad breath can be a long ordeal, but a step-by-step approach to the problem will eventually yield results.

By R. Drysdale

R. Drysdale is a freelance writer with more than 25 years experience as a health care professional. She is a contributing editor to Rid of Bad Breath, a blog dedicated to the treatment of bad breath.

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Saturday, January 24, 2009

Fermentation Bad Breath Help Is Here

Of the many causes of bad breath, fermentation is one of the most common culprits. Learning how to identify fermentation breath odor will help you know if your halitosis is being caused by it. Armed with this knowledge, you can then takes steps to remedy the situation quickly. In this article, we will learn to do both.



Quite often, during meals, food particles can become lodged between the teeth. When this food starts to break down and ferment it can release some particularly nasty odors. If you are aware that your halitosis seems to occur soon after mealtimes, this could quite possibly be the reason.

Because of the location of the food particles, and the fact that it is often "just after mealtime" for many people, the usual recommended remedies of brushing your teeth and tongue and using mouthwash are not always enough. In fact, in the case of fermentation bad breath, for successful long term prevention, it is important to attack this problem from two angles.

First of course, is making sure those food particles get removed immediately after eating. Yes you should brush right after mealtime, but more importantly you should also floss. You'd be surprised how much of a stink can be produced by just a tiny spec of food fermenting in a tight crevice your toothbrush didn't get to. Pull out that floss and get that stuff out from between your teeth before you breathe on anyone please.

Next, we have to take care of that bacteria that is causing the fermentation. Unfortunately, many people just seem to have a higher level of this in their mouth at all times. Because of this, even the strictest oral hygiene regime is not always enough to take care of the smell. Fortunately, there are methods to reduce the fermentation process naturally.

Drinking green tea is one of the best ways to do this. Green tea is noted for its anti-oxidant powers that can help your overall health in many ways. It seems these same chemicals in green tea are also very good at both reducing fermentation in the mouth and helping to eliminate any odor that is already present. As these anti-oxidants build up in your body, it can potentially reduce fermentation bad breath in the long term too. These should be reasons enough to drink several cups of green tea every day.

Hopefully, from the information above, you'll be able to decided if fermentation is the possible cause of your halitosis. If you think it is, make sure to try the recommendations above and see if it doesn't help. Either way, there's no harm in improving your oral hygiene and adding a healthy drink to your daily diet.

By Ethan Allen

While some bad breath remedies work well in the short term, there's a lot more you can do to prevent it for the long term too. To learn how, come visit http://www.bad--breath.net/ right away.

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Friday, January 23, 2009

Easy Tips To Have Beautiful, Soft And Clean Feet

A person spends a lot of time each day walking or standing on his feet. Still we tend to neglect them. In order to take proper care of your feet follow these tips:



(i) Exercising :
The first important point to remember is to buy shoes of right size and also consider the length of heels. It is preferable to buy shoes in the afternoon or evening when the feet are swollen from the day's walking so that you get the right size.
Next important point to remember is to exercise your feet. Just because you have been walking all day long that does not mean your feet have been exercised. You need to relax your tired feet muscles. Sit comfortably in a chair and clench your toes, then relax them - do this about 5-10 times each day. Next draw circles in the air with your feet, one foot at a time - first in clockwise direction then in anti-clockwise direction. This strengthens the ankle muscles.

(ii) Bathing the feet :
Besides exercising, also have a footbath in the evenings on a regular basis. Take a basin of warm water and add a little salt to it. Then soak your feet in this. This should provide instant relief to your aching feet. You can also apply a lotion of glycerine and rose water. After your feet dry, apply talc.

(iii) Massaging the feet:
You can massage your feet with useful lotions. Below you can find a recipe to make feet lotion at your home so that you do not have to buy expensive products from market.
Mix together (in a bowl) half water and half lemon juice, then gently dip a paper towel into the mixture and apply to feet. This Softens and smoothes the feet and removes foul odors.

Smelly Feet:
Do you or any of your friend or relative suffer from feet odor? Do you know what causes smelly feet?

The main thing that causes feet smell is sweat. The feet contain nearly three million sweat glands. Though sweat is just salt and water and it does not have a smell of its own, but the smell can be caused due to bacteria present on our skins. The main reason some people's feet, socks and shoes smell worse than other peoples' is that some people sweat more than others.

Try the below suggestions to get rid of smelly feet problem:
1. Regularly have a footbath according to the instructions provided
above
2. Always wear a clean pair of absorbent socks, preferably cotton.
3. In severe cases, you can wash your feet in green tea at the end of the day.
4. You may apply an antiperspirant to your feet.

By Syd Hs

The author has a website blog wherein he provides simple tips like these to improve our everyday life. You can check out the blog at: http://www.simple-fix.blogspot.com/

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Thursday, January 22, 2009

Don't Suffer From Halitosis Or Bad Breath, Instead Make Fresh Breath A Priority In Your Life

Fresh breath is really important to Americans, which is why they spend around 3 billion dollars every year on products like chewing gum and menthol candies. Bad breath is caused by bacteria on your tongue in around 90 percent of cases. The bacteria don’t need oxygen to survive, and when it decomposes it releases a very unpleasant smell.



Certain types of foods also leave a persistent bad smell after you eat them. Common problem foods include garlic, onions, cheese and fish, so if you've eaten one of these foods, you need to be aware that your breath may smell bad afterwards. Tobacco also has a similar effect. Try chewing some gum or perhaps using a mouth spray after these types of meals, or in fact after every meal, just to be cautious.

There are some people who consistently suffer from bad breath, despite regularly brushing their teeth, using mouthwash and even dental floss. So good dental hygiene is not necessarily the answer. Having said that, poor oral hygiene can lead to dental plaque and tartar. Also, if food particles remain in your mouth for a long period of time, they will eventually be decomposed by your saliva, which can cause bad breath.

Although tartar in itself doesn't cause bad breath, it does attack your teeth unless your dentist uses special brushes to remove it. If it's left untreated, it can lead to gum inflammations or cavities. These are places where bad breath bacteria thrive, because your usual oral hygiene process can't reach them there. So make sure you visit your dentist regularly.

If you frequently have a dry mouth, due to a lack of saliva, then you might also experience breath odor. A dry mouth is often caused by allergies or a respiratory infection, because you can't inhale properly through your nose and so breathe through your mouth instead. Also, certain types of medication, such as nasal sprays, can result in a dry mouth.

Bacteria may be responsible for 90 percent of bad breath cases, but the other 10 percent can be caused by a wide variety of sources. It could be a sinus infection, intestinal problems, gastric problems or a lung infection. Even the food you eat can affect the smell of your breath. For example, people on the Atkins weight loss diet often experience bad breath, because of an imbalance between proteins and hydrating foods.

There are plenty of ways to improve the situation if the bad breath is caused by bacteria. The most important thing is to control the microbes in your mouth. Use a mouthwash regularly, and brush your teeth twice a day or after meals. It's also a good idea to brush your tongue, to help dislodge any bacteria that may have taken up residence there.

If you're out and about during the day, or occasionally eat food between meals, then it's important to keep your mouth clean by chewing gum or menthol candies. Make sure you use the sugar free varieties, or you may end up with lots of cavities. Although you're really only replacing one smell with another, some doctors suggest that the act of chewing helps to stimulate saliva production, which keeps your mouth moist and speeds up the cleaning process.

By Tim Gorman

Learn to control your bad or modified breath by visiting Bad-Breath-Relief.com where you will find helpful information, tips and advice on controlling halitosis or bad breath in order to have cleaner and fresher smelling breath.

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Wednesday, January 21, 2009

Don't Let Bad Breath End Your Conversation!

Almost every wakes up in the morning with that dreaded morning breath, even if you have brushed before bed. Breathing through your mouth all night dries out your mouth so you wake up with less-than-pleasant morning breath. But when you suffer from that morning breath all day long, it can be a problem. It is very embarrassing and can be very disturbing if people back away from you or cover their nose when you are conversing.



The causes of bad breath can be traced to such simple reasons as poor dental hygiene and sometimes for other medical conditions such as sinus infections. Most bad breath, or halitosis, originates in the mouth, specifically at the back of the tongue. Oral hygiene plays a big role in most cases of bad breath and for this reason children should always be encouraged and taught to maintain the proper oral hygiene habits that they will carry with them through their lives.

Research on oral hygiene has identified a coated tongue as one of the key areas that contribute to breath odor so brushing your tongue daily will help keep the bacteria level down. Make sure floss reaches areas behind and between the teeth which are inaccessible by brushing. Brush your teeth, it is amazing that some people really don't take the time to brush thoroughly. Not only is it essential to keep bad breath at bay, but for healthy gums and teeth as well.

Sometimes bad breath is simply caused by food. Maybe a meal that contained garlic or onions. Brushing your teeth and tongue usually helps as well as flossing. The food that gets stuck between your teeth can make an awful smell not to mention decay the teeth.
If you still have a problem with bad breath you may want to try an herbal product that will act as a system cleanser and detoxifier.


By Tommy Thompson

For more information about natural herbal remedies to treat bad breath, please visit us at http://myherbalremedy.com/Bad_Breath.html

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Tuesday, January 20, 2009

Don't Kiss me, Your Breath Stinks! Take the Bad Breath Test.

Ever woken up gagging from a solid blast of noxious fumes capable of clearing a beanie baby convention? When you stop hacking and your eyes clear you discover with horror that it's not the catbox or the dog's butt, it's emanating from the mouth of your significant other. Dammit, Janet, don't you ever brush your teeth? Ack! And you kiss that mouth!



This is halitosis, baby, and your breath might smell the same way to others.
After you've ruled out death, dismemberment and divorce, you're probably fighting the urge to drag 'em into the bathroom and pour a gallon of paint stripper, bleach or mouthwash into that odiferous cavern. Don't waste your time, there's only one way to really get rid of smelly breath and standard commercial mouthwash isn't it. Run, Forrest, RUN!

No, actually almost all bad breath is caused by a byproduct of the friendly anaerobic bacteria that live in your tongue. Yes, that's IN your tongue, not ON your tongue. These little boogers get by just fine in an oxygen free environment (which is why they're called anaerobic) and the cozy spaces inbetween the papillae on the surface of your tongue create a cool crib for them to hang out.

Before you start thinking antibiotics, bear in mind that we NEED these bacteria to help with digestion, if you kill them all you'll probably shrivel like a prune, so that's out. What happens is the bacteria break down certain proteins in things like mucous and phlegm in your mouth and throat and certain foodstuffs. When the bacteria come into contact with some of the byproducts of this breakdown, the result is a cloud of fumes known as volatile sulfur compounds that waft to the front of your mouth...and voila, you have bad breath.

Lots of things contribute to the health and welfare of these pong producing tongue dwellers, like dairy products, a post nasal drip (lots of yummy mucuous strings to much on), thick saliva, a dry mouth, hormonal changes even diabetes. Some people even rush to a doctor to treat this problem, but many physicians don't know the real causes of bad breath and you can end up financing their vacation home in Malibu before you can say dang, dawg, pop a breath mint.

Forewarned is forearmed!

That's all well and good, but how do you put a stop to this bog of eternal stench? According to one of the foremost authorities on halitosis there is only one really effective way to get rid of breath odor forever...and that is to change the sulphurous compounds that cause it into inoffensive compounds that don't stink.

There's a simple way to deal with this, and it isn't what you'd think! Before contemplating murder or suicide, get the scoop on treating bad breath, and forever leave the ranks of the socially unacceptable.

By Alex D'Arbanville

Alex D'Arbanville is a superfit, buff, phat, obsessive compulsive self proclaimed natural health guru and owner of GentleRx.com. When not working out, climbing mountains, playing polo, racing motorcycles or training attack dogs, you'll find him scrubbing all those nasty germ covered surfaces in his home.

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Sunday, January 18, 2009

Do You Have It? Coffee Bad Breath, Find Out More NOW!

Bad breath would have to be the most common personal hygiene condition that all of us fail at one time or another. Let’s face it if a friend or someone in our family, or even a work colleague has it, we certainly take a step back out of their personal space quick smart….don’t we?



Of course it isn’t news that a daily routine of brushing and flossing our teeth after we eat is an effective treatment against this type of offence. However for some people like me who are constantly on the go, carrying out this simple mouth cleaning treatment throughout the day isn’t always possible. Personally I carry a little box of breath mints everywhere I go because in my role as a career coach I work up pretty darn close and personal with the public.

Having a breath problem is not something I can afford to have when, as part of my job, I am leaning over people critiquing their resumes and covering letters.

Maintaining a high standard of personal hygiene and grooming is of utmost importance if I am to set a positive example for the job seekers to follow as an effective means of increasing their chances of landing employment. Like clean underwear a fresh breath is something we should never leave home without.

Some years back I went to visit a new dental clinic to have a tooth filled. On the day I remember being horrified when the dentist accused me of being a smoker because the brown stains on my teeth were so bad. Needless to say the poor fellow copped a mouthful as I told him in no uncertain terms that as the daughter of one of the original founders of the national anti-smoking campaign, I had never dared to take up smoking.

Once he realised he had made a mistake in diagnosing what was causing my bad mouth he then went on to ask about my diet. At the time I didn’t understand why he seemed so interested in knowing what foods went into my mouth as I had already told him I didn’t eat anything with sugar in it and that I used mouthwash twice a day to kill any bacteria.

When he didn’t get anywhere with picking on my dietary habits he went on to quiz me about how many cups of coffee I was drinking a day. Shamefully I confessed to indulging in six or more a day of my favorite brew. ‘Your breath must be really bad in the morning.’ he exclaimed. Coffee he insisted was up there with garlic and onions as one of the major causes of halitosis which, just in case you didn’t know, is the technical term for bad breath.
So, if your coffee drinking habits are at the higher end of the scale like mine, then be mindful that it may be causing you to have breath odor.

By Catherine Johns

You can catch more fresh ideas on bad breath by author Catherine Johns at www.betterhealthcentre.com/ so be sure to pay a visit – it is an ever growing health and disease information site with something interesting for every age group.

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Thursday, January 15, 2009

Chronic Bad Breath

Bad breath, also known as Halitosis, is an unpleasant smell that emanates from the mouth. Sometimes an individual is completely unaware of the problem until informed by a member of the family or a friend. Suffering from chronic bad breath can be a cause of embarrassment.



Bad breath is caused by the breakdown of protein by bacteria in the mouth. When the bacteria feed on food and breakdown the proteins they produce a byproduct known as volatile sulfur compounds (VSC). Volatile sulfur compounds (VSC) include gases such as hydrogen sulphide and mercaptan mix. When these gases mix with the mouth air, they create unpleasant or bad odor.

Halitosis or chronic bad breath is caused by the kind of food that is eaten. Certain foods like garlic, ginger and onions are absorbed in the bloodstream and passed on to the lungs, from where they are excreted, and because they are strong smelling they cause bad breath.
Periodontal (gum) disease or tooth decay leads to accumulation of sticky, colorless bacteria on the teeth and gums. The bacteria irritate the gums and creates bad odor. Dry mouth or xerostomia is another cause for chronic bad breath. Saliva acts as a natural mouthwash which cleanses the mouth of bacteria that creates bad smell. Prolonged dryness of mouth does not wash the bacteria from the mouth and leads to bad breath.

Alcohol and medications when exhaled through lungs mix with the air in the mouth and creates a foul smell. Poor digestion and stomach ailments have also been noted as a reason of chronic bad breath. Prolonged dieting or fasting is another cause of bad breath. The body begins to breakdown fat and protein when starved for too long and this metabolism produces bad odor.
Other reasons leading to chronic bad breath include throat infections, sinusitis, gastritis, bronchitis, liver and kidney ailments, hormonal changes, stagnation of food in the stomach and poor oral hygiene.

By Kent Pinkerton

Bad Breath provides detailed information on Bad Breath, Bad Breath Cure, Cause Of Bad Breath, Stop Bad Breath and more. Bad Breath is affiliated with Clear Braces.

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Wednesday, January 14, 2009

Chlorophyll and Living Raw Foods

“When you are green inside, you are clean inside”, holds a lot of truth. This missing element in many people's lives would cause all vegetation to die, and subsequently, all animals and man. Without chlorophyll, plants would not be able to take nutrition from the sun, because the process of photosynthesis would not go on. In this article I will explain the benefits of chlorophyll, and why raw foods are the best source for this nutrient. But first, let me review, for those having trouble remembering what chlorophyll is.



Chlorophyll is the green pigment found in plants, that enables them to take nutrition from the air, sun, and water, and make them “living”, raw foods. This green pigment covers up any carotene pigment in the plant. Chlorophyll is more than just a pigment, obviously, but the pigments tell-tale green color is a great indication if what we are going to eat, or juice, has this most essential element.

There have been many studies on the benefits of chlorophyll. It is fascinating to me that the chlorophyll pigment, is almost identical to our blood pigments! The biggest difference is that the chlorophyll pigments center atom is magnesium, while our bloods center atom is iron. Think of it! The element that causes plants to be able to convert light into energy, is almost identical to our blood pigment. Thus the nickname: “green blood”. It is no wonder that chlorophyll has been shown to work wonders for our blood! With undiseased blood, most diseases are impossible.

It has been noted that since chlorophyll is a body deodorant, that animals such as horses and cows should have sweet breath. It is implied here that they don't, but being the city girl that I am, I will just have to take others' word for this. However, there was a study done by a veterinarian, Dr. Maurice E. Serling. He gave his canine patients in his veterinary hospital doses of chlorophyll, and banished all halitosis and body odor after six hours! When the tablets were discontinued, the odors resumed, and when they were started again, the odors left again!

There are many benefits of chlorophyll, really too many to list in detail in this article, since it has been used to fight many different diseases, but I hope to give you a basic understanding of a few of its benefits. They are: purification of the blood, liver, constipation and gas corrector, emphysema, abcesses of the liver and kidney, kidney stones, and it has also been shown to be an excellent topical for infections and burns! Chlorophyll contains properties that break down carbon dioxide, and release oxygen, which kills bacteria. It has even been used in deep surgical wounds! Its absence of toxicity, and promotion of repair tissue/skin, and soothing qualities makes it a miracle antiseptic, and it is my belief that if it could be patented, it would be, along with the air we breathe. (Thank goodness that's not so!)

The raw foods that contain chlorophyll are: green leafy vegetables of all kinds, green olives, romaine lettuce, sea vegetables, broccoli, green peas, leeks, bell peppers, wheatgrass juice, and barleygreen (juice). Spinach is the top salad green for chlorophyll, bar none. It has been shown that cooking changes the chlorophyll, but the results are inconclusive to how it affects us. It results in the magnesium atom in the center, though, being replaced with hydrogen; and chlorophyll being absent after 20 minutes of boiling. Even though green vegetables are full of chlorophyll, many who are really sick do not absorb this chlorophyll due to the sad shape their colon is in; so the raw foods should be juiced, since the lack of fiber in the juice causes the chlorophyll to be absorbed in a matter of minutes!

I'll never forget the story of Ann Wigmore, who had gangrene in her leg. She was told she had to have her leg amputated, or she would die. She absolutely refused, even though her parents, and the Doctor were angry with her. She was basically left alone, and describes hours of solitude outside; since she couldn't get around very easily, she ate grass! She believes the wheatgrass juice cured her, thus her entrance into that industry. The Bible does say that the herbs are for the healing of the nations, and given Ann Wigmore's testimony, and scores of others, I think that it is safe to say that the chlorophyll in these herbs is definitely a factor!

In conclusion, raw foods remain the best way to consume chlorophyll, with juicing your vegetables or drinking wheatgrass or barleygreen being the best. It is possible to lightly steam vegetables, and still get some chlorophyll, but it is not ideal, because of the changed atom structure, and the unknown consequences of doing so.Roxanne Vick is mother of nine, and has long liked to eat her spinach!

By Roxanne Vick

Come visit her website, and check out the rare raw food recipe book she has made available, LIVE UNFIRED FOODS, at: http://www.myrawfooddietrecipes.com/

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Tuesday, January 13, 2009

Cause of Bad Breath

Poor oral hygiene is the primary cause of bad breath. It is recommended to take proper care to maintain the health of your teeth and gums in order to avoid bad breath.



Some causes of bad breath are given below:
1) The most important cause of bad breath is left over food particles in the tooth sockets, decaying of which result in bad breath.
2) Insufficient amount of saliva in oral cavity. Saliva keeps the mouth wet and being a natural cleanser, it cleanses the food particles.
3) Bacteria: Bacteria act on the food particle and ensure the cleaning of mouth. The action of bacteria on food particle causes the release of hydrogen sulphide, which is among one of the main contributors to bad breath.
4) Tooth decay and injury of gums: tooth decay and bleeding gums is also a main cause of bad breath. Therefore it is recommended to visit a dentist at least once in two to three months. Prevention and early diagnosis will surely result in cure of bad breath in its early stage. A large numbers of people are affected with this problem that is also clinically known as halitosis.
5) Some foodstuffs can also cause bad breath: Eating pungent food items like garlic can also give bad breath. So it is recommended to avoid garlic and onions or to wash your mouth thoroughly after consuming these items.
6) Smoking and alcohol consumption is also a cause of breath odor.
7) Some serious health hazards, which can result in bad breath, are: ulcers, tonsillitis, dental plaques, Gingivitis, gum retraction, diabetes, dental caries, bio film and salivary gland disease.

If you are suffering from bad breath, you should visit a specialist at the earliest to cure the bad breath. Some people think that only expensive treatments can cure bad breath but this is not correct, if you diagnose the cause in its primary stage than you can cure bad breath naturally.

By Eric Sentell

For more information about antiaging and overall health please visit http://www.secret-antiaging-solutions.com/

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Sunday, January 11, 2009

Breathe Goodbye to Halitosis! Say Hello to Greater Social and Business Success!

Yes, bad breath is embarrassing! It makes you self-conscious and can make being introduced to new people a bit of nightmare! Yet, if you are not really aware of (or admitting to it) it can be even worse. Humans still have some basic instinctive senses and if you suffer from halitosis then it can really adversely affect the likelihood of you developing successful new social or business contacts.



If you do suffer from halitosis, don’t be too down in the mouth! There are actions you can take to deal with it, but as with all things that really need resolving in this life: it is NO GOOD just treating the symptoms. You need to get to the root cause of the problem. This is more than just important for your social, or business life too – because bad breath is one of nature’s ways of telling us something is amiss with our system, and just masking it or ignoring it could allow a potentially real health issue to worsen.

Now we are not just talking about a case of ‘coffee breath’, or ‘garlic overload’, we are talking true bad breath, which can be a nauseating stench that is often discernible from feet away! This type of halitosis may be caused by bacterial problems. If you are conscious of having bad breath, and yet are doing all the regular ‘personal hygiene’ things to address the mouth and throat area but to no effect, then it may well be that the problem lies deeper down in your digestive system.

If your intestinal system is impaired in undertaking the digestive process you may be experiencing unpleasant smells from bacterial activity in the gut. You may need to de-tox your system in this case and ‘knock-back’ bad bacteria, whilst revitalizing the 'good bacteria' in your gut. It is now widely acknowledged by health professionals, that most people who consume a typical Western diet probably need to take a probiotic supplement to support and re-invigorate their intestinal flora.

Take care when selecting a probiotic though. It should provide a high count of the full range of Lactobacillus strains of bacteria -- these are the most resilient and effective ‘good bacteria’ that you DO want working in your gut. Ideally, find a certified organic probiotic, which contains only Lactobacilli derived from organic vegetable sources.

You may also notice breath odor for other reasons. The bad habit of skipping breakfast, for instance, can provide a platform for early-day bad breath to set-in, which may well relate to the digestive issues already discussed. Or if you have been trying a ‘high-protein diet’ your breath will begin to smell sweet and sickly - due to changing liver functionality as it is ‘thrown into’ ketosis trying to deal with the high levels of protein. This may help ‘burn off’ some fat resources but the down side is a ‘slimmer you’ that no one enjoys coming within ten feet of!

It may be one of your other ‘lifestyle habits’ is aggravating your problem. For instance chewing 'gum'. IF the gum contains sugars this provides food for mouth bacteria to thrive, which could lead to odor development. Whilst if it is non-sugar gum – that is, it contains artificial sweeteners – this is also not-recommended (but for other reasons to do with sweetener toxicity, too complex to consider fully in this article). Plus, when you chew gum it 'fools' the body into thinking you are eating - which encourages digestive processes to start - so then you can actively trigger digestive activity which might (if you are NOT actually eating for some time) cause unpleasant gases to rise from the gut.

Eating a well-balanced diet, with plenty of fresh vegetables, and eating smaller amounts on more frequent occasions can all help to improve system functions, de-stress the digestive process and hence, reduce halitosis. You should also aim to cut out sugary snacks, and other refined ‘carbs’ – but DON’T drop complex carbohydrates with plenty of natural fibre. This will keep your gut properly busy and provide useful roughage to encourage an efficient evacuation process (if you know what I mean?) another important part of healthy digestion.

In general, if you are bedevilled by bad-breath-odors, you should also try to cut down your physical exposure to chemicals in your environment -- for instance from the foods you eat, and the body care and cosmetics you use. You can do this by choosing only organically grown foods, and using certified organic personal acre products. The few coins more that these products cost is more than repaid by the substantial health benefits. These actions alone will vastly reduce your daily exposure to toxins that could be adversely affecting your system and causing some of your internal problems.

You also ought to review the type of mouthwash you may be using at the moment -- bad breath sufferers often use these for an immediate effect -- but they might even be making things worse. Your mouth is one of the most bacteria-ridden places in the body, but constantly trying to kill bacteria using strong chemical anti-bacterial mouthwash only increases the likelihood of developing resistant strains! Try using a 100% natural, preferably organic, mouthwash and use a little regularly through the day, especially after eating.

So – don’t ignore it! But don’t get stressed about it (stress too, could be encouraging the bad-breath problem)...In fact ‘embrace’ your halitosis issue, and find a way to get to the root cause of your problem. The sooner you do, the sooner you’ll find other people are much happier to embrace you, too!

Article by A. Graham Smith MSc BSc – The author has many years experience in both management training and teaching students studying nutrition and management at Bachelor and Masters degree level. He now regularly contributes articles to the non toxic lifestyle website http://www.gonando.com/ where additional information about choosing effective certified organic probiotic supplements can be found. You can also claim a complementary copy of the latest Toxic Ingredients in Personal Products Desktop-Directory, also composed by A Graham Smith, via 'GoNandO'!

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Saturday, January 10, 2009

Bad Breath Tonsils

Many people don't realize that when you have bad breath tonsils may have something to do with it. Your tonsils, located in the back of the mouth at the top of the throat, are not only a frequent site of infection, they can also accumulate debris and harbor bacteria.

Tonsils and tonsillar crypts provide a moist sheltered airless environment where many species of bacteria do well. Although most of the bacteria that live in the mouth and throat are harmless, and many are even beneficial, invasion by the wrong kind of bacteria can cause problems.

A first step in bad breath prevention is to keep the tissues in your mouth and throat healthy, including your tonsils. Seek medical attention immediately if you suspect you have tonsillitis and have sinus problems assessed as well. See your dentist at least once a year and practice good dental hygiene between dental cleanings. Regular medical checkups are a good way to keep a close eye on your general health and avoid bad breath tonsils and other health problems as you get older.

To deal with bad breath tonsils, first rule out bacterial infection. The organism to worry about is streptococcus, the cause of strept throat. This is an acute infection that usually clears up fairly quickly and is routinely treated with antibiotics. Because there is destruction of healthy tissue in the throat, strept throat often results in a foul odor on the breath. The odor problem resolves with the infection, fortunately, so if this is what's causing your halitosis, treatment for the strept will also be effective bad breath prevention.

If the breath problem is more of a chronic issue, bad breath prevention may be more difficult. The odor may be coming from tonsiloliths, small accumulations of dead cells and other debris that lodge and grow around the tonsils. Tonsiloliths are often associated with sinusitis or post nasal drip, where there is a constant flow of sinus drainage down the back of the throat. Dead cells and other tiny particles get caught up in the tonsil area forming tiny aggregates like stones - the aggregates grow larger as they catch more and more debris. Your tonsils become bad breath tonsils when oral bacteria start proliferating in and on the tonsiloliths, deriving nutrients from the proteins and other molecules there.
When it comes to bad breath prevention, tonsiloliths can be difficult to get rid of. Each individual tonsilolith is eventually dislodged and swallowed, carrying away its load of odor producing bacteria
- but another tonsilolith soon takes its place. The best approach to bad breath tonsils caused by tonsiloliths is to gargle regularly with a good breath freshening product designed to reduce bacterial growth in the mouth.

By R. Drysdale

R. Drysdale is a freelance writer with more than 25 years experience as a health care professional. She is a contributing editor to Bad Breath Tonsils, a blog dedicated to the treatment of bad breath.

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Thursday, January 8, 2009

Bad Breath Pregnancy

When we're reading about causes of bad breath pregnancy is not often listed, however many pregnant women do complain about having halitosis or about experiencing a persistent unpleasant or metallic taste in the mouth. Bad breath during pregnancy may result from hormonal changes or deteriorating dental health.



Sudden breath odor is always a sign that something has changed and it should prompt a self-assessment of recent changes in life style, diet or health. It may well be a sign that a visit to the dentist or doctor is in order. If you are pregnant and you suddenly develop bad breath pregnancy may be the indirect cause; however, it could also be a sign of health problems or the onset of gum disease. If careful and persistent oral care practices don't clear up the problem, see you doctor rather than assuming that it will go away on its own once the pregnancy is over.

It's well known that pregnant women have increased calcium needs and are at greater risk of tooth decay if these calcium needs are not met. When the diet is deficient in calcium, the mineral is taken from the teeth to provide for the developing baby. Tooth decay and gum disease often go hand in hand - when this process starts in the mouth, it can contribute to sudden bad breath.

Pregnant women should always be under a doctor’s care and have regular dental checkups to catch problems early. Bad breath pregnancy problems are problematic to treat because of the difficulty with taking medications or undergoing medical procedures during this delicate time.

An unpleasant taste in the mouth may not mean that there is also bad breath. The taste can often be dealt with over the short term with lozenges or breath mints (choose sugar free if possible to reduce the chances of tooth decay). When there is true bad breath pregnancy does limit the measures you can safely take, though mouthwashes, which are not swallowed, are generally safe to use. Always read the label instructions carefully, and consult your doctor if you are in doubt or if you experience unexplained sudden bad breath.

By R. Drysdale

R. Drysdale is a freelance writer with more than 25 years experience as a health care professional. She is a contributing editor to Bad Breath Remedies, a blog dedicated to the treatment of bad breath.

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Wednesday, January 7, 2009

Bad Breath Halitosis

It’s been written that someone called bad breath halitosis many years ago in a deliberate attempt to create a medical term for a common problem. At the time, bad breath was regarded as more of a personal hygiene issue than a medical problem.

The name stuck but it was still a long time before anyone really started taking breath odor seriously from a medical perspective, and today, halitosis is not the proper medical term - physicians say "fetor oris," "ozostomia," or "stomatodysodia."

But whatever you want to call it, a bad breath problem is still a social challenge for anyone unfortunate enough to suffer from it. Fortunately, medicine and science have been paying more attention in recent years, and even though its root causes are still not completely understood, there are now some real research-based methods to combat bad breath halitosis. The best of these are based on the knowledge that the odor is almost always being produced by oral bacteria living in the mouth.

Since sometime in the 1940s, medicine has been combating bacteria, like the ones that cause bad breath halitosis and many more serious infections, with antibiotics - drugs that kill bacteria. There are problems with antibiotics however: sometimes they don't reach the site of infection; sometimes bacteria develop resistance to them, and often they fail to kill off all of the bacteria they're being aimed at. When some bacteria remain, they begin to multiply anew as soon as the antibiotic is withdrawn. In cases where antibiotics and antiseptics are used to treat a persistent bad breath problem, the odor usually recurs because bacteria return to their former levels after treatment is discontinued.

The point is that, in order to permanently treat a breath odor problem, you need to treat the root cause. It might be a medical problem like sinusitis or gum disease. It might be something systemic, a situation that would require diagnosis by a medical doctor. It might be a dietary deficiency of some kind. If you want to be free of bad breath halitosis, get a complete medical checkup and a dental examination. Assess your lifestyle and dietary habits and try to improve things, even if it just means taking a vitamin supplement. And while you are working on the problem, use one of the trusted brand name breath products aimed at cutting down the population of odor-producing bacteria living in your mouth and causing bad breath, halitosis, fetor oris, or whatever you choose to call it.

By R. Drysdale

R. Drysdale is a freelance writer with more than 25 years experience as a health care professional. She is a contributing editor to Bad Breath Halitosis, a blog dedicated to the treatment of bad breath.

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