HOMOEOPATHIC REMEDIES FOR BAD BREATH OR HALITOSIS

Bad breath, also called halitosis, can be embarrassing and in some cases may even cause anxiety. It's no wonder that store shelves are overflowing with gum, mints, mouthwashes and other products designed to fight bad breath. But many of these products are only temporary measures because they don't address the cause of the problem.

Certain foods, health conditions and habits are among the causes of bad breath. In many cases, you can improve bad breath with consistent proper dental hygiene. If simple self-care techniques don't solve the problem, see your dentist or physician to be sure a more serious condition isn't causing your bad breath.

Causes

Most bad breath starts in your mouth, and there are many possible causes. They include:

·         Food. The breakdown of food particles in and around your teeth can increase bacteria and cause a foul odor. Eating certain foods, such as onions, garlic and spices, also can cause bad breath. After you digest these foods, they enter your bloodstream, are carried to your lungs and affect your breath.

·         Tobacco products. Smoking causes its own unpleasant mouth odor. Smokers and oral tobacco users are also more likely to have gum disease, another source of bad breath.

·         Poor dental hygiene. If you don't brush and floss daily, food particles remain in your mouth, causing bad breath. A colorless, sticky film of bacteria (plaque) forms on your teeth. If not brushed away, plaque can irritate your gums and eventually form plaque-filled pockets between your teeth and gums (periodontitis). Your tongue also can trap bacteria that produce odors. Dentures that aren't cleaned regularly or don't fit properly can harbor odor-causing bacteria and food particles.

·         Dry mouth. Saliva helps cleanse your mouth, removing particles that cause bad odors. A condition called dry mouth or xerostomia (zeer–o-STOE-me-uh) can contribute to bad breath because production of saliva is decreased. Dry mouth naturally occurs during sleep, leading to "morning breath," and it worsens if you sleep with your mouth open. Chronic dry mouth can be caused by a problem with your salivary glands and some diseases.

·         Medications. Some medications can indirectly produce bad breath by contributing to dry mouth. Others can be broken down in the body to release chemicals that can be carried on your breath.

·         Infections in your mouth. Bad breath can be caused by surgical wounds after oral surgery, such as tooth removal, or as a result of tooth decay, gum disease or mouth sores.

·         Other mouth, nose and throat conditions. Bad breath can occasionally stem from small stones that form in the tonsils and are covered with bacteria that produce odor. Infections or chronic inflammation in the nose, sinuses or throat, which can contribute to postnasal drip, also can cause bad breath.

·         Other causes. Diseases, such as some cancers, and conditions such as metabolic disorders, can cause a distinctive breath odor as a result of chemicals they produce. Chronic reflux of stomach acids (gastroesophageal reflux disease, or GERD) can be associated with bad breath. Bad breath in young children can be caused by a foreign body, such as a piece of food, lodged in a nostril.

 Symptoms

Bad breath odors vary, depending on the source or the underlying cause. Some people worry too much about their breath even though they have little or no mouth odor, while others have bad breath and don't know it. Because it's difficult to assess how your own breath smells, ask a close friend or relative to confirm your bad-breath questions.

HOMOEOPATHIC REMEDIES

Homoeopathy today is a rapidly growing system and is being practiced all over the world. Its strength lies in its evident effectiveness as it takes a holistic approach towards the sick individual through promotion of inner balance at mental , emotional , spiritual and physical levels. When bad breath   is concerned there are many effective medicines are available in Homoeopathy, but the selection depends upon the individuality of the patient , considering the mental and physical symptoms.

MERCURIUS SOL 30--—Mercurius sol is one of the most important remedies for bad breath, which usually occurs during fever, or from  pyorrhea. Increased salivation is characteristic to Merc sol, which is highly offensive. Bad odor from the mouth fills the whole room, in which he is sitting.  The gum is spongy , bleeding or pus from the gums. Even though the mouth is moist , there  is increased thirst for water.

KREOSOTE 30—Krgeosote is efnfective  ifor bad bredath , eacceompanying with delcayed teebth. Gum spongy, bluish, bleeding and pus  from gums. Putrid odor  and bitter taste in mouth.

ARNICA MONTANA 30—Arnica is indicated for bad breath accompanying with fever, Fetid breath as from of rotten eggs. Mouth is dry and thirsty. Taste as from of rotten eggs after operation. Tonge dry, almost black.

AURUM METALLICUM 30—Aurum metallicum is effective for bad breath, especially in girls at the time of puberty. Fetid smell of the mouth, like rotten cheese. Taste putrid or bitter. Ulcers are seen on gums. Gums swollen, red dark and bleeding.

CARBOLIC ACID 30---Carbolic acid is indicated for foul breath with constipation. A feeling of burning from mouth to stomach. Fermentative dyspepsia with bad taste and breath. Constant belching, nausea, and vomiting. Flatulen t distension of stomach and abdomen.

CARBO VEGETABILIS 30—Carbo veg is indicated for bad breath with gum infection. Infected gums , from which oozes blood and pus. Gums retracted and bleed easily, painful while chewing. Gums black. Bolld oozing from gums when cleaning teeth. The person also suffer from great acidity. Flatulent abdomen.

CROCUS SATIVA 30—Crocus sativa is considerd , where the breath has an  offensive , sickly smell. There is unusual warm in mouth. Taste sour. Sensation that the uvula has enlarged.

GRAPHITES 30—Graphites is indicated for bad breath in obese persons , who has an history of skin troubles. Rotten odor from the mouth. Rotten odor with salivation. The breath smells like urine, with sour belching and burning blisters on tongue. Easily bleeding and swelling of the gums. Usually constipated  with anal fissures.

HELLEBORUS NIGER 30—Horrible smell from the mouth. Increased salivation with sore corners of the mouth. Tongue red and dry.

NUX VOMICA 30---Nux vomica is best for bad breath , especially in morning or after  eating. Heavy feeling in abdomen after food.  Gums swollen, white and bleeding. First part of the tongue is clean, posterior part is covere with deep fur, white, yellow, cracked edges.  Nux vomica person desires stimulants like coffee, alcohol, spices etc .  Nux vomica persons lead a sedentary life, short tempered, and become angry very easily. Constipation. They have frequent ineffectual urge to stool.

PULSATILLA NIGRICANS 30—Pulsatilla is an effective remedy for bad breath, especially in morning. Dry mouth without thirst, wants it washed frequently. Feeling of alternations of taste, bitter, bilious, greasy, salty, foul. The taste of food remains in the mouth for a long time, so she wash the mouth frequently. The tongue is yellow or white coated and covered by a thick, tenacious mucus. The breath is offensive.  Pulsatilla is suited to mild and gentle women with a yielding disposition. The person is very timid with a weeping tendency.

QUERCUS 3X—Breath has the smell of faeces or flatus ,  which is discharged from the bowels.

SILICEA 200—Bad breath from infected gums. Gums sensitive to cold air. Abscess at root of teeth. Boils on gums. Sensation of a hair on tongue.

SULPHUR 200— Sulphur is effective for bad breath  occurs after eating. Bitter taste in morning. Swelling and bleeding of gums. Lips dry, bright red, and burning. Tongue white with red tip and borders. Great acidity. Belchings tasting like bad eggs, worse eating and at night.Sulphur is suited to dirty, filty people , having a tendency of skin eruptions. They have dry, unhealthy skin, very little injury suppurates. Aversion to bathing. They have a strong tendency to philosophical or religious reveries with fixed ideas.

TEUCRIUM 30—Teucrium where bad breath is due to nasal catarrh and nasal polyps. Foul breath. Mouth clammy. Much mucus in mouth. Smarting as from pepper, first on left, later also on right side. Smarting in root of the tongue.