I am suffering from bad breath

Dear Ask The Doctor: I am suffering from halitosis. i have done endoscopy earlier and found that it was acid reflux, then i took pentaprazole for its treatment for about 2 months. But i am still suffering from bad breath from my mouth. I request you to advice me on how can i get rid of my halitosis.

Dear Aditya: Halitosis can cause social problems and I do understand your problem. Usually in cases of halitosis, mouth washes and dental treatments only provide temporary relief. In order to treat halitosis it is important to treat the microbial growth and underlying digestive problems.

There are hundreds of bacteria species in the mouth. They each have preferences to various food products and proteins and the digestion of these proteins lead to the fetid odor. In most cases the bad breath arises for the mouth itself. It may also arise for the back of the tongue, nasal passages, lung infections and the esophagus.

The best way to treat halitosis is to maintain good oral hygiene practices. Dental flossing and oral mouth rinses help to decrease the bad breath. The best time to use a mouthwash is probably before bedtime because the residue of the mouthrinse may remain in the mouth for a longer period of time and have a greater effect. Antimicrobial compounds via mouth rinses, dentifrices, or lozenges can also help. Other methods to reduce halitosis include changes in diet, especially reducing the intake of protein in diet and adequate hydration.