Definition
"Halitosis should not be considered a mere embarrassing problem, but rather a disorder of the oral cavity in all respects, the severity of which depends on the underlying cause. Halitosis manifests itself with an unpleasant and foul-smelling emission of air from the mouth, expression of the intake of some particular foods, of an incorrect oral hygiene or, in the most serious cases, of gastric diseases.
Causes
Among the food causes responsible for bad breath, onion and garlic conquer the podium; not to forget, however, that numerous other foods can promote halitosis. This unpleasant symptom can be a consequence of food residues stuck between the teeth which, degrading and stagnating on site, give off bad smells. Among other causal factors, we remember: habit smoking, drugs (antibiotics), gastric disorders - stomach acid, digestive disorders, gastroesophageal reflux - inadequate / lack of oral hygiene, renal failure.
Symptoms
The intensity of bad breath clearly depends on what originated it; often the affected subject is not aware of this disorder, therefore tends to neglect this aspect.
- Complications: kidney failure, kidney damage, bleeding disorders, heart and lung changes, death (cases of extreme severity)
Diet and Nutrition
The information on Bad Breath - Medicines for the Treatment of Halitosis is not intended to replace the direct relationship between the health professional and the patient. Always consult your doctor and / or specialist before taking Bad Breath - Medications for the Treatment of Halitosis .
Medicines
More than drugs for the treatment of bad breath, it would be more appropriate to discuss natural remedies or alternative treatments aimed at counteracting halitosis; clearly, when bad breath has a pathological basis, the main objective is certainly the treatment of the underlying disease which, consequently, also involves the removal of halitosis.
Careful oral hygiene is certainly the first step to improve halitosis, albeit superficially; Bad breath, in fact, cannot be cured by masking the problem with peppermint chewingum or mouthwash; rather, it must be treated at the root.
Leaving aside the pathological halitosis momentarily - that is to say related to underlying pathologies - the most common variant depends on incorrect oral hygiene: in such situations, it is possible to adopt one of the numerous natural remedies to combat halitosis.
We have analyzed that smoking can also promote halitosis; therefore, if the condition is rather severe, it is advisable to stop smoking.
The following are the classes of drugs most used in the therapy for bad breath, and some examples of pharmacological specialties; it is up to the doctor to choose the most suitable active ingredient and dosage for the patient, based on the severity of the disease, the state health of the patient and his response to treatment:
Mouthwashes and toothpastes to treat bad breath resulting from poor oral hygiene.
It is not uncommon for halitosis to be related to an accumulation of bacteria on the teeth; to overcome this inconvenience, it is strongly recommended to pay particular attention to tooth washing, to be carried out at least three times a day with a toothbrush, toothpaste and mouthwash, and at least once a day with dental floss. In particular, it is recommended to use mouthwashes based on:
- cetylpyridinium
- chlorhexidine
- chlorine dioxide
- zinc and bicarbonate
It is also recommended to use a toothpaste containing antibacterials, useful for reducing the accumulation of plaque, thus preventing not only tooth decay, but also halitosis.
Please note: toothpastes and mouthwashes do not act on the cause of halitosis but rather mask the disorder, relieving only the symptoms.
Medicines for the treatment of bad breath dependent on gastric-digestive diseases
Sometimes bad breath can hide underlying gastric disease, such as gastritis, peptic ulcer, or gastroesophageal reflux disease. In the cases listed above, it is clear that halitosis is not the main problem: bad breath is an alarm signal sent by the body to warn that something is not working as it should. It will be the doctor's duty to identify the causative factor, and then treat it.
To give an example, in case of gastritis, it is recommended to administer antacid drugs (eg. Aluminum and magnesium hydroxide), gastric mucosal protectors (eg. Sucralfate) or proton pump inhibitors (eg. Pantoprazole, Omeprazole, Lansoprazole. ). In the event of an ascertained or presumed peptic ulcer, which is also (and not only) responsible for bad breath, it is also recommended to use histamine H2 receptor antagonists (eg Nizatidine, Cimetidine).
For the posology, deepen the topic:
- drugs for the treatment of gastritis
- drugs for the treatment of peptic ulcer
- drugs for the treatment of gastroesophageal reflux disease
To avoid the "souring of the breath, it is however recommended a correct oral hygiene, preferring the choice of mouthwashes and toothpastes based on menthol or eucalyptol, to mask bad breath"
