Pet Medicine - Yoga

 Bad Breath Sufferers Beware

The Fresh Breath Clinic in Toronto carried out a study (under Anne Bosy, co-founder) that showed that most people with bad breath do not have gum disease. She showed that actually it is the sulphur-producing bacteria that are the source of the halitosis. They live happily under the plaque and mucous layers at the back of the tongue.

If there is a white film covering the tongue then you can be sure that there are millions of bacteria resident there.

It is impossible to remove all the bacteria from the mouth because it is constantly under attack by the gram negative anaerobic bacteria which thrive in the anaerobic environment of the posterior dorsal villa of the tongue.

These anaerobic bacteria are B. forsythus, T. denticola, A. actinomycetemcomitans, P. intermedia and P.gingivalis. They are known to be active in periodontal diseases.

Tooth problems such as gingivitis, periodontitis, and other gum diseases naturally result from the build up of tongue plaque, so that offensive smelling breath is not the only result.

Studies from the past have shown that the main chemicals involved in halitosis are the mercaptans and hydrogen sulphide. Roughly 85% of all halitosis cases have their origin in the mouth itself and the vast majority (90%) of these are due to the residues on the tongue.

Out of fear of embarrassing them, it has been shown in behavioural studies, that no one likes to tell others that they have bad breath, not even their spouses.

The latest shocking research associates the bacteria in our mouths to heart disease and other ailments.

One of the chief causes of periodontal disease is a bacterium that hides under the food and mucous layer settled on the tongue. This bacterium present in periodontal disease invades the bloodstream through damaged, bleeding gums, and may cause damage throughout the body, including the heart.

Many recent studies have shown that several of the bacteria in the mouth can enter the bloodstream and promote blood clots and damage heart muscle tissue. The bacteria Clostridium perfingens, which is commonly found in the oral cavity, is suspected of being one of the major culprits.

Researchers claim that there may be a direct connection between gum diseases in pregnant women and low birth weights of their offspring. They say it could be an effect of the toxic by-products of the bacteria.

There are also ongoing studies that link the worsening symptoms of both diabetes and periodontal disease.

Chronic lung conditions and respiratory diseases can be complicated greatly by bacteria from the mouth finding it's way into the airways.

It's a fact that many may not have considered, that first thing in the morning there is every possibility of re-ingesting a large amount of the toxins and metabolic by-products that the body has tried to get rid of via the tongue during the night. Food for thought!