Dealing with bad breath

Dr Brigid Monda

Did you know that a human bite is dirtier and more dangerous than a dog bite? This is because there are over 600 types of bacteria that live in our mouths — usually below the whitish tongue coating that covers the lower end of the tongue and where food debris, dead cells, postnasal drips and other living and dead bacteria thrive. The bacteria, which are responsible for the bad breath, thrive in a dry, dark environment such as under the gums, the spaces between the teeth, and the crevices of the tongue. These areas are poorly cleansed and hence allow bacteria to flourish, breaking down this coating and releasing unpleasant smelling volatile sulphur compounds (VSCs) and other gases, which manifest as unpleasant breath. The medical term for bad breath is Halitosis.