Other Names for Bad Breath
Monday, December 27th, 2010
It’s a famous quote we’ve all heard. William Shakespeare’s famous line spoken by Juliet in Romeo and Juliet “What’s in a name? That which we call a rose by any other name would smell as sweet.” But is the same for the contrary? Does bad breath smell as sour by other names? Here are a few synonyms for bad breath:
Halitosis – a commonly used Latinate term meaning affliction. Its origin comes from Victorian times when studies into the causes of bad breath were gaining momentum. The first recorded use of Halitosis was in 1874. J.W. Howe’s work titled The Breath and the Diseases Which Give It a Fetid Odor states “Chronic poisoning from lead, arsenic, or mercury may also be enumerated as a common cause of halitosis.” Howe lists other possible causes of halitosis which include emotional pangs, catarrh, mineral poisons and dyspepsia. Clearly, today’s causes of bad breath have changed dramatically since the late 19th century.
