By Dr. W. Gifford Jones
February 11, 1996
Are people backing away every time you talk to them? Are you having trouble getting a date? Or is your faithful dog starting to lie on the other side of the room? If so, you may be suffering from "halitosis". What causes bad breath and how can it be prevented?
Á There's a memorable scene in the movie, "Gone with the Wind". The one in which Clark Gable sweeps Vivian Leigh into his arms and carries her up the stairs. It was obvious what Gable had in mind. Á But Vivian might have been thinking, "If only he didn't have bad breath." Gable, one of the world's romantic actors suffered from halitosis.
Á One can only speculate on the cause of Gable's problem. A movie source claims Gable had false teeth. Possibly he was too busy making love to properly clean his dentures.
Á Poor mouth hygiene is one of the prime causes of halitosis. Some people have decayed teeth that need major dental work. Others suffer from infected gums that require periodontal care.
Á I doubt that Gable was nervous when he carried Leigh up the stairs. But nervous, excited, anxious or frightened people often suffer drying of the mouth which also causes halitosis.
Á Dr. Walter C Alvarez, an internationally renowned Mayo Clinic gastroenterologist, stated "The most common cause of bad breath is a strong or painful emotion".
Á He described the case of a woman who thought she was becoming paralysed. Her breath was so bad he had to air out the office after the visit. The next day when she realized her diagnosis was wrong her breath was considerably sweeter.
Á Another patient of Dr. Alvarez developed foul breath every time her husband drove down a steep, narrow road in the California mountains. But it became sweet again when she returned to level land.
Á It's also known that prisoners about to be executed have foul breath. And people who become sexually excited may notice that their breath leaves much to be desired.
Á I'm sure Clark Gable didn't have much time to snore during the filming of Atlanta burning. But what about other nights? If Gable had nasal obstruction and had to breathe through his mouth this usually results in early morning halitosis.
Maybe Gable was his own worst enemy. It's hard to expect a romantic evening if you have an insatiable desire for garlic and onions. One billionth of an ounce of onion oil can be detected on the breath by the sense of smell!
Á Garlic can also put an end to an amorous evening. Garlic can be demonstrated on the breath of a newborn baby if the mother has eaten it shortly before delivery.
Á The stale smell of alcohol or cigarettes adds to halitosis problems. Gable's macho image required that he smoke in those days.
Á Today 80 per cent of chronic lung disease is due to cigarettes. And second©rate lungs cause bad breath. For instance, chronic bronchiectasis often results in copious amounts of foul smelling sputum. Á To battle bad breath, brush after every meal. It's also vital to use stimudents and floss to remove decomposing food from between the teeth. And brushing your tongue helps to "tame" morning breath. Dry mouth develops while you sleep allowing dead cells to collect in your mouth and coat your tongue.
Á Chew sugar©free gum. This increases the flow of saliva, prevents dry mouth and washes away food particles and saliva. And now and then rinse your mouth with water.
Á Carry mouth wash or breath mints. Not all mouthwashes fight bacteria, but they cover up halitosis. The strong oils in spearmint, peppermint or wintergreen also fight bad breath. Another helpful way is to chew parsley. It's long been known for its power to neutralize breath odours. Á One thing is certain. Gable wasn't suffering from a serious medical disease. Otherwise Vivian Leigh would have been carrying him up the stairs!
Á Patients with untreated diabetes have a sweet, fruity odour to their breath. And a fishy or mousey odour is often present in the final stages of liver disease.
Á I've changed my mind about one thing. I used to think that the electric toothbrush was only for lazy people. But there's no doubt it does a better job of removing particles of food and plaque from the teeth.
Á Remember that doctors can remove septic tonsils. They can treat chronic sinusitis and help to ease lung and digestive problems. But if you continue to smoke a pack of cigarettes a day and get lazy about dental hygiene, don't be surprised when the dog moves to the other side of the room. And Gable shouldn't have been surprised when Leigh gave him the brush©off.
W. Gifford-Jones M.D is the pen name of Dr. Ken Walker graduate of Harvard. Dr. Walker's website is: Docgiff.com
My book, �90 + How I Got There� can be obtained by sending $19.95 to:
Giff Holdings, 525 Balliol St, Unit # 6,Toronto, Ontario, M4S 1E1
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