Bad Breath Can Be More Dangerous Than It First Appears To Be

You will most certainly have bad breath if you suffer from active gum disease (bleeding gums), or if you are dieting successfully. Normally you will have diminished salivary flow and be prone to bad breath if you are over 55 years of age, or if you take antidepressants, birth control, sinus, or heart medicines. Others who smoke or drink alcohol will have bad breath too.

Recent work at the Fresh Breath Clinic in Toronto carried out by A. Bosy conclusively demonstrated that bacteria living at the back of the tongue under the mucous and plaque were the actual cause of the bad breath. She showed that most people with halitosis do not have gum disease and that it is these sulphur-producing bacteria that are responsible.

If there is a white film covering the tongue then you can be sure that there are millions of bacteria resident there.

Because there is an oxygen-poor environment at the rear of the tongue, the gram negative anaerobic bacteria can thrive nicely there and provide a constant supply to the mouth. Hence it is practically impossible to remove all the bacteria from the mouth.

B. forsythus, T. denticola, A. actinomycetemcomitans, P. intermedia and P.gingivalis are the prominent anaerobic bacteria present there and they are the ones that are usually associated with periodontal disease.

Tooth problems such as gingivitis, periodontitis, and other gum diseases naturally result from the build up of tongue plaque, so that offensive smelling breath is not the only result.

85% of all cases of bad breath originate in the mouth, and 90% of those are caused by the coatings on the tongue. It has been shown previously in various studies that the major components of halitosis are the mercaptans and hydrogen sulphide.

Behavioural studies reveal that no one informs those with bad breath, often not even their spouse for fear of embarrassing them.

Fairly shocking news just released connects the bacteria in our mouths to heart disease and other serious diseases.

One of the chief causes of periodontal disease is a bacterium that hides under the food and mucous layer settled on the tongue. This bacterium present in periodontal disease invades the bloodstream through damaged, bleeding gums, and may cause damage throughout the body, including the heart.

Studies have recently shown that many bacteria can enter the bloodstream and damage heart muscle tissue. They can also encourage the formation of blood clots. The bacteria Clostridium perfingens, which is normally found in the mouth, is considered to be one of the major culprits.

There is some suggestion from research that the bacteria can enter the bloodstream of pregnant women if there are gum problems, and that the by-products of those bacteria (which are toxic), are somewhat responsible for lower birth weights of their babies.

There are also ongoing studies that link the worsening symptoms of both diabetes and periodontal disease.

Bacteria found in the mouth can end up in the airways and increase the risk of complications associated with chronic lung conditions and respiratory disease.

It's a fact that many may not have considered, that first thing in the morning there is every possibility of re-ingesting a large amount of the toxins and metabolic by-products that the body has tried to get rid of via the tongue during the night. Food for thought!

Article Source: http://www.article-heaven.com

Author Del Carl researches and posts up to the minute and information about bad breath and periodontal disease at his website. Why not drop by sometime.

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