Cure for Bad Breath

Finding a cure for bad breath (halitosis) really means finding a cure for whatever is causing the odor, and that is usually a group of bacteria living in the mouth that produce bad smelling compounds as part of their metabolism. Bacteria in the mouth, particularly those living near the back of the tongue, get nutrients by breaking down proteins, and give off volatile sulfur compounds (VSC), which make the breath smell bad.

When halitosis is caused by VSC, a bad breath cure will get rid of the bacteria that give off the VSC. That is why chlorhexidine, an antibacterial liquid, is often used to treat halitosis. Chlorhexidine is quite effective at killing oral bacteria, and it is added to oral rinses. Other antibiotics are sometimes used as a cure for bad breath, but the problem generally does not require prescription drugs.

Consult your dentist, doctor, or pharmacist, to discuss how to cure bad breath. These professionals have experience with the problem and have the most up-to-date information. They can advise you on the most recent advances in bad breath cures, and help you determine whether your halitosis is the bacterial kind, or whether it might be caused by something else. If the smell on your breath is not VSC, you need a different approach to a cure for bad breath.

Most people do have halitosis from time to time, but if there is an ongoing problem, a permanent bad breath cure is hard to find. Advice and over the counter remedies are common, however. Advice on how to cure bad breath will range from ways to cover up the bad smell with a stronger, more pleasant smell, to drugs that kill the bacteria in the mouth. Most over the counter products only treat the problem temporarily: some merely mask the odor without treating the underlying cause. When you stop using the cure for bad breath, the problem instantly returns.

With the rise in alternative methods of healing, new types of bad breath cure have become available. Some take an approach that aims at killing the VSC-producing bacteria without the use of antibiotic drugs, an approach that is appealing to many people. Again, if you have a chronic problem with halitosis, you will likely have to use a product on a ongoing basis. No one knows, yet, how to cure bad breath for good.

R. Drysdale is a freelance writer with more than 25 years experience as a health care professional. She is a contributing editor to Cure for Bad Breath, a blog dedicated to the treatment of bad breath.

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