QUESTION: I have found it extremely difficult to deal with a colleague who seems to suffer from offensive breath. I initially thought it was possibly just that she forgot to brush her teeth or had morning breath, but no, it got worse. It’s so pungent, yet she seems oblivious of the fact.
All the fellow employees chat about it and make snide remarks and offer chewing gum regularly.
It really smells rotten and I sometimes wonder if she doesn’t have a tooth abscess. I am aware that you can get offensive breath from not eating anything. Is this curable and what could be the cause?
ANSWER: Your concern for your colleague is warranted as this could have a big impact on her social and work life. It sounds from what you describe that she has classic halitosis.
This is a foul-smelling breath, prominent on exhalation and mostly offensive to others.
Bad breath (halitosis) can be caused by a variety of things including diet, medication, poor oral hygiene and diseases or conditions such as diabetes, Gird (reflux disease), lactose intolerance, gum disease and more. Treatment depends on the cause.
Bad breath usually originates in the mouth. Its intensity might differ during the day. Certain foods can exacerbate the problem – many foods are well known with pungent odours, such as garlic, onions, fish, meat and cheese. Some common symptoms of bad breath include bad smell, bad taste, dry mouth and sometimes a coating on the tongue. Lifestyle issues that contribute to the condition are obesity, smoking and alcohol consumption.
Morning breath occurs when the oral cavity is exposed to less oxygen and is inactive during the night, the smell is usually at its worst when we wake up. Often, offensive breath is transient and self-limiting.
What can be done:
* Gently cleaning the tongue.
* Eating a healthy breakfast.
* Chewing gum.
* Gargling.
* Maintaining proper oral hygiene – flossing and tongue-brushing.
* Probiotic treatments.
When to consult a physician?
If you have a persistently dry or painful mouth with lesions or sores, you should see a doctor for evaluation.
Natural ways to combat bad breath:
* Nibble on parsley, it is renowned to be a freshener, containing chlorophyll, a green-plant compound that kills odour-causing bacteria.
* Tea tree oil on your toothbrush along with your toothpaste.
* Create a mouthwash from equal parts of extracts of sage, calendula and myrrh and gargle four times daily.
* Chewing unripe guava or guava leaves is an excellent tonic for the teeth and gums.
* Cardamon or fenugreek seeds can help sweeten your breath. Both may either be chewed or made into teas.
* Avocado is another effective remedy for bad breath. It helps eliminate intestinal putrefaction, which can lead to bad breath.
* Dr Darren Green, a trusted figure in the field of media medicine, is a University of Stellenbosch graduate who adds innovative spark to health and wellness issues.
He features on 567CapeTalk, and is a regular guest on SABC3 and the Expresso show. Dr Green works as an emergency medical practitioner at a leading Cape Town hospital and completed four years of training as a registrar in the specialisation of neurology.
If you’ve got medical problems, contact the doctor at [email protected], 021 930 0655 or Twitter @drdarrengreen. Catch him in Cape Town on 567 CapeTalk, most Fridays at 1.30pm.
The advice in this column does not replace a consultation and clinical evaluation with a doctor.
Cape Argus