bad breath

5 (slightly) awkward health problems

April 8th, 2019 by The Hello Doctor Team

Aside from adjusting to your new life on campus and being away from home, you’re also faced with health problems as you interact in a different environment and with people from unique backgrounds.

Your campus student health centre or clinic should be the first place you visit when you have healthcare needs.

Here are five health problems you should know about:

The common cold or influenza

As a student, the common cold or flu is one of the main health issues you’ll face. Viruses that cause colds and flu are spread when you breathe them in after someone has been coughing or sneezing next to you, or by rubbing your eyes or nose after you have been in contact with a sick person.

Try and stay away from a friend with a runny nose and always wash your hands avoid picking up the virus.

Symptoms of a common cold are:

Dry cough with a sore throat.
Fatigue and muscular aches.
Frequent sneezing and coughing.
A blocked nose.
High temperature with a headache.
Running or blocked nose.
Stomach-related problems like diarrhoea, vomiting or nausea.

Prevention is better than cure. Get a flu vaccination at your campus clinic.

Bad breath is the last thing you want your friends to remember you for! If you suffer from this unfortunate issue, there’s a reason why. Breath problems are usually caused by a build-up of plaque on your teeth which results in a gum infection.

Other culprits include:

Tonsil infection.
Inflammation of the gums.
Hormonal changes.
A dry mouth.
Crash diets.
Tooth decay.
A sore throat or postnasal drip.

Fight bad breath with good dental hygiene. Still, it’s best to see a dentist to check for underlying issues. Remember to floss regularly and brush your teeth and tongue twice a day. Lay off the cigarettes, and, if your mouth tends to get dry, pop a sugar-free mint or chewing gum to get that saliva flow going.

STDs

It’s important to be aware and proactive about STDs and your sexual. Sexually transmitted diseases are spread from person to person during any sexual activity. You should always practise safe sex! Use a new condom every time you have sex; this includes oral sex too. To avoid contracting STDs make sure you get tested regularly. Get tested as soon as you experience any symptoms or if your current or former partner has been diagnosed with an infection.

Symptoms:

A rash in the genital area.
Burning and painful urination.
Pain during sex.
Discharge (thick or thin leakage from the vagina or penis)
Itching in the genital area.
Vaginal blisters or blisters in the genital area

Many sexually transmitted diseases don’t have immediate or obvious symptoms, so the smart thing to do is to get tested. Don’t wait too long to see a doctor should you experience any symptoms. If treatment begins early enough, you can be cured.

Mental health

Your psychological, emotional and social wellbeing at university will always be tested. This will affect the way you think, feel, and act. This could result in isolation which might affect your studies. If you feel you’re depressed or suffering from anxiety, talk to a friend or family member and see a campus psychologist.

Strep throat

Sore throat? You could have Strep throat, a contagious bacterial infection. When a person who has strep throat breathes, coughs or sneezes, tiny droplets with the strep bacteria go into the air. If these happen to land on you, you could be infected. Its symptoms usually begin within two to five days after you encounter the infected person.

Symptoms:

A sever and onset sore throat.
High temperature.
Pain when you swallow.
Inflamed tonsils and lymph nodes.
Yellow or white spots on the back side of a red and inflamed throat.

Because you’re highly contagious, it’s best to stay at home to avoid spreading it to others. Use tissues you can throw away instead of handkerchiefs, wash your hands often, and don’t sneeze or cough on others. See a doctor; strep throat is usually treated with antibiotics to help you feel better faster.

References:

Dry mouth? Here’s what you can do about it

September 18th, 2018 by The Hello Doctor Team

Saliva plays an important role in your health. It has the ability to lubricate which helps to protect the oral tissues in your mouth against sores, ulcers and other movements that come with eating and speaking. It also helps neutralise acids and defend your mouth against conditions like tooth decay and bacteria. Think of saliva as your tasting and digestion friend.

When saliva isn’t produced enough and properly, these functions become impaired and dry mouth happens. Dry mouth, also known as xerostomia, is a condition where the salivary glands don’t make enough saliva to keep your mouth wet. Dry mouth could be a simple irritation – or something very serious.

Symptoms:

Dry or sticky feeling in your mouth.
Saliva that seems thick and stringy.
Bad breath.
Difficulty chewing, speaking and swallowing.
A dry, or sore throat.
Dry or grooved tongue.
A changed sense of taste.

What causes dry mouth?

There are different reasons why the salivary glands can stop working. This includes:

Medication

Many forms of medication, including over-the-counter drugs can leave you with dry mouth as a side-effect. These may include prescription drugs used to treat anxiety, pain, allergies, colds, obesity, depression, high blood pressure, and some antihistamines, muscle relaxants and sedatives.

Ageing

When you get older, dry mouth can stem from factors like changes in your body’s ability to process medication, poor nutrition and long-term health problems.

Recreational drug use

Stay away from drugs like methamphetamine and marijuana.

Some health conditions

Certain health conditions like diabetes, stroke, HIV/AIDS, thrush and Alzheimer’s disease contribute to dry mouth. Snoring and breathing with your mouth open can also cause it.

Tobacco and alcohol use

Drinking alcohol excessively and smoking or chewing tobacco products could be dry mouth culprits.

Nerve damage

An injury or surgery that causes nerve damage to your neck or head can cause dry mouth.

Dehydration

Sweating, diarrhoea, fever, vomiting, blood loss and burns are conditions that dehydrate your body and may cause dry mouth.

Cancer therapy

Certain cancer therapies like chemotherapy can temporarily reduce the amount of saliva you’re able to produce. Radiation treatments to the neck and head may damage salivary glands, lessening the amount of saliva. Both these may cause dry mouth as the production of saliva changes.

Treating dry mouth

Drink lots of water to keep your mouth moist at all times.
Chew sugar-free sweets or gum.
Breathe through your nose (not your mouth) as far as possible.
Brush your teeth with fluoride toothpaste at least twice a day and visit your dentist regularly.
Use over-the-counter artificial saliva substitute.
If you think your dry mouth comes from certain medication, talk to your doctor who may suggest that you swap to a different medication.
If your dry mouth continues for a long period, talk to your doctor.

References:

Don’t let a bad breath ruin Valentine’s Day!

February 12th, 2017 by The Hello Doctor Team

Kissing is one of life’s ultimate pleasures. And when V-Day rolls around it takes on even more importance. But oops, what if your breath is less than sparkling? Getting a second date when you brandish death breath on the first one is unlikely.

Garlic, booze and food can create a pungent potpourri that can stun a dentist at 40 paces. Either way, your love life will suffer. Let’s find out how we can banish the bad breath.

Do you have physical sores in your mouth? It could be a symptom of something more serious. Speak to our doctors here to get sound medical advice.

Bad breath culprits
The causes of halitosis are actually fairly simple, says Cape Town aesthetic dentist Dr Ilona Visser: “Bad breath can be traced to microbes in the mouth, especially at the back of the tongue, where the surface of the tongue is extremely rough, as well as to the areas between your teeth”

Dead and dying bacteria release an evil-smelling sulphur compound, and together with the odor of rotting food debris can result in a bacterial bouquet that is potent and distinctive, she explains.

Bad breath can also be the result of a throat infection, as well as a sign of gum disease. This is caused by plaque, the colourless, sticky film of bacteria that builds up on your teeth daily. The bacteria produce toxins that irritate the gums, causing gingivitis, or inflammation of the gums.

Gingivitis eventually damages the bone supporting the teeth, resulting in periodontitis or formation of spaces between the gums and the teeth.

Fight the foul funk
Here’s a good rule of thumb: looking in a mirror, press gently against a bit of your gum between your teeth with a fingernail. The pressure will make the gum turn from pink to white as the blood is pushed out of the tissue. When you remove your fingernail the gum should immediately turn pink again.

If it stays pale, or if a bit of blood or yellow pus appears between tooth and gum, your gums aren’t as healthy as they should be. If your gums bleed when you brush or floss, you should also be concerned, says Dr Visser.

She recommends that you start by gargling and rinsing your mouth out thoroughly with salty water. Combat bad breath by brushing and flossing morning and night.

If you suffer from persistent bad breath it may be the result of a medical problem not related to your mouth. Bad breath can also be the result of sinus trouble, lung infections or diabetes. If regular brushing doesn’t help, speak to your dentist.

Dos and don’ts

Visit your dentist regularly.
Have your teeth cleaned periodically by a dental professional.
Floss or otherwise clean between your teeth.
Choose unscented floss so that you can detect those areas between your teeth that give off odours, and clean them more carefully.
Brush your teeth and gums properly.
Clean your tongue all the way back gently, but thoroughly.
Drink plenty of liquids.
Chew sugar-free gum for a minute or two at a time, especially if your mouth feels dry. Chewing parsley, mint, cloves or fennel seeds may also help.
Clean your mouth after eating or drinking milk products, fish and meat.
False teeth should be brushed daily using dishwashing liquid (the same that you use to clean knives and forks) and a soft brush. If there are stains or tartar on the dentures, have them professionally cleaned.
Ask your dentist to recommend a mouthwash that has been shown to be clinically effective in fighting bad breath,
Eat fresh, fibrous vegetables like carrots.
Don’t ignore your gums – you can lose your teeth as well as smell bad.
Don’t drink too much coffee – it may make the situation worse.
Don’t forget to clean behind the back teeth in each row.
Don’t brush your tongue with regular toothpaste. It’s better to dip your toothbrush in mouthwash for tongue cleaning.
Don’t run to the gastroenterologist for concerns of having bad breath; it usually comes from the mouth and seldom from the stomach.
Don’t give mouthwash to very young children, as they can swallow it.
Don’t clean your tongue so hard that it hurts.
Don’t rely on mouthwash alone; you need complete oral care!

References:

Bad breath? It could be tonsil stones

October 15th, 2015 by The Hello Doctor Team

“Tonsil what? Are you serious?” Yes. You may brush your teeth twice a day and floss after every meal, but this doesn’t always mean that your breath will be minty fresh – bad-smelling breath can also be caused by tonsil stones. Continue reading “Bad breath? It could be tonsil stones”

3 Common oral diseases

September 12th, 2014 by The Hello Doctor Team

Finally got your pearly whites? Now let’s work on keeping them healthy and disease-free. You might not know it, but there are many conditions that affect you teeth, gums and mouth. Here are three very common conditions that you should keep an eye out for.

Dental cavities

You hear about these all the time on toothpaste adverts. They’re essentially holes in your teeth that are caused by tooth decay. This is usually a result of eating too much sugar and starch and not practicing daily dental hygiene – brushing, flossing and rinsing. When food gets stuck between your teeth – and you don’t remove it – it will lead to plaque, which hurts the enamel on your teeth. Overtime this corrodes your teeth causing a cavity. There’s no way to reverse the process, but you can get them filled if you go to a dentist. Prevent cavities by brushing and flossing your teeth twice a day.

Gum disease

Remember the plaque we spoke about earlier? Well it doesn’t just cause tooth decay, it’s also the major cause of gum disease. When plaque is left behind and hardens it becomes tartar, which can then only be removed by a dentist. The longer the plaque and tartar stay on your teeth, the more troublesome they become. If left alone, the bacteria could cause gingivitis, a form of gum disease. This leads to swollen gums that bleed easily. To fix it, simply visit your dentist for a proper cleanse and stick to basic oral hygiene.

Halitosis

Bad breath, otherwise known as halitosis, has quite a few causes. The most common cause is poor oral hygiene – this includes brushing and flossing. Unhealthy lifestyle habits, like smoking, can also contribute to bad breath. However, if you’re constantly plagued by bad breath, then it could be caused by dry mouth, gingivitis or periodontitis (an advanced form of gingivitis). Visit your dentist for an accurate diagnosis and have your mouth cleaned. Then make sure you setup an appointment every 6 months for a quick check-up.

Remember, you only get 2 sets of teeth your entire life – your milk teeth and your adult teeth. Make sure to take care of them and keep them healthy.

Sources:

nlm.nih.gov
nidcr.nih.gov

5 Steps To Beat bad breath!

August 23rd, 2014 by The Hello Doctor Team

Halitosis! That’s the medical term for bad breath – a nasty condition that affects 25% of all adults, 1 in every 4 of us. Think of three of your closest friends, and if none of them have bad breath, then maybe you’re the one. How can you tell? Instead of blowing into your cupped hands, (or in your partners face), lick the back of your hand, let it dry for a few seconds, and then smell the surface.

Bad breath is like any other body odour – it’s the result of bacteria living on or in the body giving off by-products. In your mouth, it’s a case of bacteria that normally live in there interacting with food particles to create smelly sulphur compounds. If you don’t clean properly, those bacteria build up, and next thing you know, you’re being left random gifts of breath mints on your desk every Monday.

So, here’s how to banish bad breath!

While popping a mint may mask things for a while, it won’t deal with the bacteria that are causing the problem. So, in addition to brushing your teeth regularly, you can tackle bad breath by doing the following:

Step 1: Brush your tongue

The rough surface of the tongue is home to a potentially foul-smelling combination of dead cells, food debris and bacteria – all of which contribute to bad breath.

Step 2: Stay hydrated

A dry mouth is a breeding ground for offensive-smelling bacteria.

Step 3: Avoid the over-powering ingredients

Foods like garlic and onion are well-known stinkers, so – if you do want to eat them, time it well. It can take about a day for these to fully leave your system.

Step 4: Choose bacteria busting foods

Green tea has anti-bacterial properties that knock out the stink, and cinnamon contains essential oils that kill many types of oral bacteria.

Step 5: Eat crisp fruits and vegetables

Celery and apples are good examples. Chewing these produces more saliva in your mouth, and the firm texture also helps scrub away bacteria.

If you do all that and your bad breath still persists, get hold of your doctor to make sure it isn’t a sign of something more serious, as certain chronic diseases can release chemicals into the body that result in bad breath. In most cases, taking simple steps to control the chemistry lab living inside your mouth will keep you smelling minty fresh, for most of the day anyway!