If you’re feeling down in the dumps….rumor has it it that you may not only have a bad attitude, but you you might have bad breath as well!  Pessimists are more likely to have dental problems, like halitosis, cavities, or missing and decayed teeth.  They are more likely to have a negative attitude about going to the dentist as well. 

This research was done on the attitudes and dental records of 1,037 people in the 30s.  These people also filled out questionnaires, one about their feelings towards dentists, and the other one rating character traits.   Some of these pessimists admitted being afraid of dental visits, avoiding checkups, and only going to the dentist when having an issue.  These people tended to be more easily stressed and less sociable.  Because of this, these people tended to have more tooth decay than those not afraid of going to the dentist, and had twice as many rotten/missing teeth and fillings by the age of 32.  These people generally had more anxiety problems and were more able to deal with life’s issues in a positive fashion.

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Most of us know that the offensive odor coming out of someone’s mouth can be associated with poor oral hygiene, gingivitis, caries, tonsilitis, tonsillar plaques, various foods, tobacco, dehydration, and various diseases in the body.  Homeopathy can be an effective cure for chronic bad breath because it treats the individual as a whore rather than targeting certain parts/organs.  Sometimes for a permanent bad breath cure, it can work if the physical, emotional, mental and social spheres of a person are targeted.  If these spheres are not in equilibrium, that’s when things tend to go awry. 

When using homeopathy to treat halitosis, it is important to note the other symptoms that a person is having.  Sometimes excess stress can attribute to bad breath.   In order to figure out the best remedy, one should take these precautions beforehand:

• Correct oral hygiene in the morning/bedtime
• Clearing saliva and nasal secretions often as well as clearing the throat
• Regular dental checkups for filling pockets or erosions, and avoidance of gum/dental problems
• Keep hydrated to prevent dry mouth and wash away food particles
• Use tongue scraper

Also, you should avoid:

• Cigarettes, chewing tobacco, and other stimulants
• Dairy products
• Garlic, onions
• Chocolates and other sweets

Also, underlying health conditions should be ruled out by doing the following:

• Endoscopy (sinuses)
• CT scan (nasal obstruction, lung issues, etc)
• Blood tests (diabetes, infections, allergies, metabolic diseases)
• Urine tests (diabetes, ketone bodies, metabolic diseases)

Temporary treatments:

• Cleansers, pastes, mouthwash, mouth deodorants, tongue scrapers/wipers
• Chewing gum increases salivary gland production
• Cloves, camphor, cardamom, green pudhina leaves, guava leaves, betel leaves can mask the foul stench

Permanent treatment can only be successful if the root cause of the halitosis is diagnosed.  These treatments should be given for issues like recurring colds, sinusitis, dental issues, gingivitis, stomatitis, indigestion, and so on. 

Homeopathic remedies for bad breath most commonly are: Asafoetida, Baptisia, Baryta mur, Benzoic acid, Bromium, Calc carb, carbolic acid, Carbo animalis, Carbo veg, Crot – hor, Graphites, Hepa sulf, Kali sulp, Merc sol, Nat sulp, Nit acid, Opium, Plantago, Psorinum, Pulsatilla, Rhus tox, Sepia, Silicea, Staphysagria, Sulphur, Tarentula, Tellurium, Thuja, and Tuberculinum.

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From the Desk of Dr. Harold Katz:

Halloween is here! This is one of my favorite holidays. It’s the start of a lot of family fun that turns into a whirlwind of activity. Next thing you know, it’s mid-january…As your on-line dentist, I wanted to give you a couple of health tips to keep in mind as you run headlong into this busy season.

Pack a toothbrush

You tend to have a lot more snacking opportunities during the holidays than normal. You’ll go to dinners, get-togethers, happy hours where you will lightly snack to be polite. But all that snacking creates more frequent feedings for germs that live in your mouth. If you eat more often, you should brush more often. Otherwise you give food time to nourish bacteria and biofilm. Stick a toothbrush in your bag or purse. When you have a minute or two throughout the day, give your teeth a quick once over. As a bonus, it’s extremely refreshing.

Give someone you love a toothbrush

Do you need a good gift suggestion? Sonic automatic toothbrushes are light years ahead of traditional mechanical brushes that were sold even as recently as 5 years ago. They clean faster and better – in clinical trials, some have been shown to clean FIVE TIMES more effectively than traditional brushing. Plus, they are less prone to causing damage from brushing too hard. If you really want someone’s beautiful smile to last, give them a sonic toothbrush (we sell an excellent quality WaterPik professional sonic toothbrush on our web site, but there are many other excellent products on the market as well)

Replace your toothbrush!

I won’t try to gross you out with just what kind of things live on your toothbrush. Let’s just say that as a bacteriologist, I have seen them up close and that used to keep me up at night. Regardless if you use an automatic or regular brush, the brush bristles need to be replaced often. If you don’t remember the last time you replaced your toothbrush, it’s probably a good bet you should replace it now. Automatic brushes have replacement heads you can purchase and replace. If you have never changed the head on your automatic brush, do it today.

And here’s a parting Halloween tip:

What is the most important thing to do right after eating Halloween Candy? Unless you want to invest money in your dentist’s office, the most important thing to do is to thoroughly brush and floss. Don’t put it off until bedtime.

After eating a handful of Kandy Korn there is enough residual sugar on your teeth and inside your cheeks to feed an army of bacteria. Get rid of it before it can do rapid, lasting damage to teeth. Sugary snacks are particularly hard on areas below the gum line, so flossing is also encouraged.

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A recent survey about hygiene was done by a dental hygienist.  She asked questions dealing with teeth and other aspects of keeping clean.

Teeth Survey Results

Experts say that ideally you should brush three times a day and floss at least once a day.  Two brushings a day is usually the bare minimum recommended for maintaining good oral hygiene.  Biofilm, also known as plaque, is one of the main reasons it is necessary to brush.  The least amount of damage it can do is cause cavities, and it can even cause periodontal disease (gum disease) and bone loss.

Biofilm has even more serious threats than tooth loss!  Scientists have also seen the same bacteria found in cavities in clogged blood vessels. Since biofilm can threaten the teeth and the ability to eat, it can even affect the immune system negatively. Gum disease, as we have read before in articles about pregnancy gingivitis, can affect pre-term babies in a negative manner as well. Bad breath is also an obvious consequence of biofilm.

People must acknowledge that poor oral hygiene and maintenance can have devastating long-term consequences, since the mouth and the rest of the body are all inter-related.

According to the survey results, only 12% of people said they brushed more than twice a day; 41% said twice a day, 42% only once a day, and 5% said they went a full day without brushing sometimes.  Roughly half of people brush as much as they should!

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Many people are beginning to understand with probiotics that not all bacteria are bad.  In fact, probiotics have been contributing to good health for years. With an increasing demand of probiotics, people are requesting that they be available in forms other than yogurt and oral dietary supplements.  Consumers want more choices, since some people are sensitive to certain kinds of processing (i.e. temperature).  However, with constantly-improving technology, probiotics are being used in a broader market of goods.

The thought of beneficial bacteria has become more popular with the public, since studies have shown that probiotics can aid the immune system in the fight against the “bad guys”.  More and more yogurt brands are boasting probiotics on their labels, and companies are continuing to find ways to implement good bacteria strains into other foods that are not cultured by tradition.  This doesn’t necessarily mean a consumer will purchase this product, since a company tried adding probiotics to cheese, and this product didn’t sell too well.  This is because a consumer is not generally looking for cheese to add health benefits to a meal; instead, he or she usually uses cheese to add taste to what is being eaten.

People tend to be the most comfortable with probiotics being added to oral health care products, since strains of bad bacteria reside in the mouth, gums and teeth, and these bacteria can cause tooth enamel and gum disease.  Two of the most popular products that have received a high increase in growth are gums and mints, since functional gum has jumped 10% between 2007-2008.  A current trend in consumer education is people learning about the role that good strains of bacteria have in staying healthy and recovering one’s health. 

Streptococcus mutans is one of the Lactobacillus strains that work against enamel-eroding bacteria, and people can expect this strain to appear in gums and mints.  A sugar-free gum that came out recently contains the strain Lactobacillus reuteri, and there are mints that contain a mixture of strains L. reuteri, L. plantarum, L. rhamnosis and L. acidophilus, which target bad breath-causing bacteria.  Another company has developed a breath mint that features Streptococcus oralis, Streptococcus uberis, and Streptococcus rattus, all targeted at preventing and fighting dental decay and halitosis.  Surprisingly, there is even a strain of bacteria called Streptococcus oralis that actually has a whitening effect on the teeth, since it crowds out bad bacteria on the teeth’s surface. 

Pharmaceutical companies are creating different probiotic breath mints that will be designed for improving oral health, and lasting much longer than current probiotics without being stored in cold temperatures.  An important thing for manufacturers to remember is that the new oral care products being made need to use bacteria that exist naturally in the oral cavity, otherwise they will not last long in the mouth. 

 There are over 400 different species of bacteria in the digestive, and all of these strains are competing for space to inhabit.  In general, the good bacteria can crowd out the bad bacteria, which is why consuming probiotics can be helpful for those who have diarrhea, inflammatory bowel disease, lactose indigestion, irritable bowel syndrome, H. pylori (ulcer-causing bacteria) problems, and colon cancer.  It is also worth pointing out that these bacteria exist all over the body, including the mouth, skin, reproductive organs and other membranes.  Ingesting probiotics can even be beneficial for those with allergies, autism, arthritis, and liver and kidney problems.  

One of the major areas for probiotic’s growth in the market may be in immune defense, since probiotics can benefit the immune system’s response.  Immunity is related to gut health, and research has shown that probiotics improve cold and flu symptoms, allergic rhinitis and pollen allergies.  Asia and Europe have already been linking probiotics with immune health for many years, but the U.S. only recently caught on.  Probiotics also are known to prevent certain infections, so it may be useful with epidemics like the swine flu.  Various strains of bacteria have relieved fever symptoms, viral respiratory infections, and pneumonia. 

Probiotics, especially Lactobacilli, are effective in aiding the immune response and increasing the resistance to pathogens.  Newer territories that researchers are exploring are the effects of probiotics on inflammatory disease, cholesterol reduction and even anti-aging properties, post-myocardial infarction depression and stress management.  Even more surprising, there is groundbreaking research that probiotics can be beneficial in infant formulas, vaginal microbiota, and satiety (for weight management).

 A major challenge in administering probiotics is getting the right dosage, and making sure the correct strains go to the correct places in the body.  It is far from simple, and one of the major challenges that face manufacturers is heat, since it destroys the beneficial flora.  The ingredients in the probiotic supplements must be able to tolerate the handling, storage, processing, shelf-life issues, and the tempestuous environment of the acid in the stomach.  The limited amount of conditions that probiotics can handle seldom allow for applications outside of refrigerated supplements; however, more and more companies are improving the probiotics’ survival, so they are more protected- with longer shelf lives and slower releases.  With new technology constantly being released, some companies have even created a probiotic chocolate, and up and coming probiotic applications in cereal bars, cereals, ice creams, fresh fruit and vegetable juices, meal replacements, and biscuits.  Probiotics in hot tea and soup have even been made possible with these new advances in technology.  Last but not least, topical and personal care applications are now possible with probiotics, since antifungal and antiviral properties can be brought out during a process of fermentation.

 Currently, one of the main trends is pairing probiotics with other probiotics, since this enhances the probiotics’ ability to survive.  With the ever-changing and improving research, technologies and education of probiotics, innovators will continue to deliver new and improved products geared at improving everyone’s health. 

Source: Natural Products Insider

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A condition called Zenker’s diverticulum is yet another cause of bad breath. A diverticulum is a small pouch, and with this condition, the pouch sticks out from the back of the throat and adjacent part of the esophagus. It usually forms later in life, and the affected people usually complain about food sticking in their throats. Usually, the food is stuck in the pouch, and is actually undergoing digestion there. Sometimes, the partially digested food is regurgitated back into the mouth, thus causing halitosis. Furthermore, the sufferers of this condition may have coughing and choking as symptoms.

Surgery can be performed in order to fix this problem, and this can be done by making small incisions, and the pouch can be removed with special instruments and a scope. Sometimes the pouch can be removed without any incision, and the scope being sent down the throat.

Keep in mind, though, Zenker’s diverticulum is rare, and halitosis is common.

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Candy and pop, as we all know, are not good for our teeth, especially children’s teeth because they’re not as aware of proper oral hygiene as adults should be.  But, did you know that milk and juice sipping throughout the day can cause just as many problems with kid’s teeth as good old candy and pop? 

Sometimes children sip all day long on fruit candies or juice.  Also, some people need to beware of giving a child a bottle at bedtime.  Even if a baby only has a few teeth in the mouth, the teeth are swimming in bacteria, and tooth decay can quickly start.  The same rules go for adults: try to brush/floss after snacks, and do not eat and go to bed without brushing.   

There are some helpful dental care tips that you can follow, like:

1) Brush a baby’s teeth with a tiny bit of flouride toothpaste as soon as the baby gets its first tooth (usually betweeen 3-9 months).  This is to prevent tooth decay by removing bacteria from the teeth. 

2) Start taking your kid to a health care provider knowledgeable and skilled in oral health at age 1. 

3)  Monitor snacks, especially those loaded in sugar.  One child I know recently had 17+ cavities because he sipped on fruit juices all day long.  The sugar feeds the bad bacteria in the mouth.

4) Take good care if your own teeth, regardless of whether or not you have kids.  If you do have children, keep in mind that the bacteria in your mouth is contagious, and it’s possible to spread chronic gum disesase, cavities, and tartar buildup to your children.

Dental disease is a huge problem in society, and not only causes pain in adults and their children, but also causes people to miss a lot of school and work days.

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There are different causes celebrated in October, and one of them is National Dental Hygiene Month. This month, according to the American Dental Hygienists’ Association, public awareness will be increased so people will know the relationship between oral health and their overall health. This is also a good time to educate families on issues affecting their oral health. ADHA emphasizes the important of maintaining proper oral hygiene, starting early every day, in order to prevent gum disease, cavities, and bad breath.

Every week in October will be designated to a different aspect of oral hygiene, everything from dental hygienists to community service.

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Next time you think about skipping breakfast in the morning, think about the consequences it may have on your breath!   This is one cause of bad breath that is easy to overcome.  If you miss breakfast for whatever reason, or if you are anorexic, you extend your morning breath until you eat something.  Why does this happen?  When you are sleeping, your brain knows that you will not be eating.  Your brain in turn slows down saliva production.  Saliva has a high concentration of oxygen (which is a natural enemy of bad breath and gum disease-causing bacteria), the lack of saliva makes it easier for the bacteria to reproduce.  As soon as you eat something in the morning, the salivary glands kick in and provide oxygen-rich saliva to dissipate morning breath. 

If one does not drink enough fluids, he or she may have halitosis from dry mouth. Also, there is also something called “hunger breath”, which is caused by ketosis, a medical condition in which the body starts breaking down fat if the person is not consuming enough calories.  Ketones are produced in ketosis, and if there are large amounts of ketones being produced, the acidity of the blood can be increased.  In turn, the body tries to lower the pH by ridding itself of the ketones in the lungs and urine, thus causing bad breath.  In a low-carb diet, this is actually the main principle, since the body is tricked into thinking it is undergoing famine, even if the person is continuing the same calorie intake.  Often times, people who are on extreme diets like high protein, low-carbohydrate or have eating disorder problems have chronic bad breath.  The food that you eat can affect your breath, at least for a short time, especially if you eat foods with garlic, onions and curry.

Most of the time, sulfur compounds created by oral bacteria when food is broken down in the mouth cause halitosis.  People who have dental plague have even more of these bacteria.  If one has a gum infection (periodontal disease, etc.) , sinus infection, or tonsilitis, he or she is much more likely to have bacteria causing a bad smell.  Dry mouth causes bad breath because there is less saliva in the mouth to wash the bacteria away. 

Of course, there are many other causes of bad breath, but some of the aforementioned causes can be overlooked sometimes.  All in all, the smell of your breath can be determined by how healthy you are, and not just your oral hygiene.  Drink plenty of water in order to keep your mouth moist, don’t miss breakfast, and practice proper oral hygiene on a daily basis.

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It is reaching that moment of the year where children’s consumption of sugar is likely to increase highly.  The average American eats 25 pounds of candy annually, with a high percentage of it being eating on Halloween.

When one is consuming chocolate, hard candy, taffy, and other sweets, it is difficult to maintain good oral health.  Dr. Harold Katz, the “Bad Breath Doctor” disperses tips on how to avoid rotting one’s teeth from celebrating Halloween.  Instead of having the scariest breath, why not have the scariest costume instead?

According to Dr. Katz, “Halloween is where candy makers go to town on your kids’ teeth.  It’s not like their intention is to rot your children`s teeth, but it may as well be with all the problems that habitual and even binge-based candy consumption can cause.”

With that said, here are some good tips to avoid those unwanted cavities:

• Once your child brings home their Halloween candy, take control of it and dole it out to them over time
• If you are comfortable doing so, deny your kids the most offensive of the candies they bring home to avoid cavities (all-day suckers, jolly ranchers, jaw breakers, large lollipops, taffy, roll-ups, gummy sweets)
• Make sure your child brushes and flosses after consuming these goodies, and before bed without exception
• Try sugarless gum or candy as an alternative, since it reduces the amount of bacteria in the mouth
• If you are the one giving out candy to kids, try to offer fun alternatives to candy like party favors, stickers, noisemakers, comic books, and so on.
• Since adults have their fun during Halloween too, they should try to avoid alcohol (since alcohol causes dry mouth, leading to bacterial bad breath, which is the worst kind of halitosis)
• Keep in mind that breath mints are really sugary candies, because they just taste sweet and do not necessarily mask bad breath (taste and smell are not the same senses!).
• Also, pay attention to what toothpaste/mouthwash your kids are using.  It should not contain alcohol or Sodium Lauryl Sulfate.

Hope your Halloween will be sweet, but not full of cavities!

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