Some of the oral bacteria which create the waste products that are responsible for causing bad breath live in the dental plaque that accumulates on and around a person's teeth, both at and below the gum line. A methodical brushing and flossing technique is needed in order to remove this plaque and also remove any food debris that is left in the person's mouth after eating that could be used as a food supply by these bacteria. One should take notice of the fact that we have used the term brushing and flossing here. It is not sensible to think that a mouth odor emanating from the areas around the teeth can be diminished unless flossing is an integral part of a person's daily cleaning routine. Many people overlook cleaning their tongue, however, starting to do so in a regular basis can be the single most beneficial treatment for bad breath that a person can institute.

Tests that revealed truth

The tests have often revealed that the smell of the anterior portion of a person's tongue is usually less offensive than the smell found emanating from the posterior part. The reason for this is related to the fact that the anterior portion of the tongue is somewhat self-cleansing and therefore less likely to harbor large numbers of odor producing bacteria. Many tongue functions require that the anterior portion of the tongue touches firmly against the hard palate. This friction produces a cleansing action, therefore preventing any significant bacterial accumulation.

Other methods of curing bad breath

The posterior portion of the tongue in comparison only rubs up against the palate relatively gently during tongue movements. This soft palate contact does not provide enough friction to produce any significant cleansing. For these reason it is typically the posterior aspect of the tongue that is found to harbor the bacteria that cause a person's bad breath, and thus the posterior tongue is the most important area to clean. There are various methods you can use to clean the posterior portion of your tongue. Each of the techniques though has the same goal, to scrape away the bacteria and debris that have accumulated on your tongue's surface. No matter whichever method of tongue cleaning one chooses to use, one should always try to clean as far back on your tongue as possible. One should not be surprised finding themselves having an active gag reflex. Gagging is a natural reaction, but with time this reflex should diminish.

Bad breath and tonsils
Tonsils are caused by an accumulation of sulfur producing bacteria and debris that become lodged in the tonsils. This debris putrefies in the back of your throat, and collects in the tonsil crypts. When this debris combines with the Volatile Sulfur...

Preventing bad breath
Brushing and flossing are two of the most crucial elements for attacking bad breath. Bacteria that live on our teeth and gums cause bad breath. These bacteria feast on food particles left on our teeth creating volatile sulfur compounds. These sulfur...

Reasons for bad breath
Breath only smells when certain aromatic chemicals are found dissolved within it. These include methyl mercaptan, hydrogen sulphide and putrescine. Some of these may be absorbed from the bowel into the bloodstream and then circulated around the body...