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| SOCIAL RELATIONS AND BREATH ODOUR Smell and odours play a vital role in social interaction. Bad breath odour is very public as it occurs in a social context. Offensive mouth odour cannot be contained and can be very offensive to partners, friends, acquaintances and or coworkers. Society uses odours as a means to define and interact with the world. The intimate emotionally charged nature of the olfactory (smelling) experience ensures that value coded odours such as bad breath are interiorized by people in a deeply personal way. Breath, which can be valued as good or bad, connects us with the surrounding world. Like it or not, smell and odours affect us physically, psychologically and socially. The affliction of bad breath, real or perceived, is also very personal and can lower a person’s self image and self confidence. Unfortunately, individuals are unaware of their own odour as it cannot be smelled by oneself nor seen like an image in a mirror. Since smells and odours have such a high ability to produce emotional responses, defense tactics such as negative body language may be used around people with bad breath. These defensive behaviours can erode an individual’s confidence and self image. Breath odour is a difficult issue to approach, but needs to be addressed because some uncontrolled or untreated systemic conditions such as diabetes and liver disease have characteristic odours. However, bad breath is usually caused by a bacterial imbalance in the mouth. Current research indicates that there are more than 80 species of bacteria in the mouth capable of producing bad breath. Factors that can influence oral bacteria and their smelly by products are: · oral diseases · poor oral hygiene and self care techniques · stress · medications · chronic dry mouth · frequency and quality of food and fluid intake · hormonal changes The BREATH ODOUR Clinic clients are diagnosed and treated for real or perceived mouth odour. Clinical tests for assessment of oral malodour include: · extra and intra oral exam including periodontal assessment · Halimeter used to measure volatile sulphur compounds · organoleptic evaluation of nose and mouth air · oral pH and enzyme tests Oral malodour is a sensitive and often complex matter. Thorough examination, testing and consultation is required to get to the source of the problem. Treatment for oral malodour varies with individual problems. Once the problem is identified and controlled self confidence is regained. Oral malodour real or perceived requires professional attention. S.M. Bloom BA, DDS Owner L. McKeown RDH, MA Research & Clinical Director BREATH ODOUR CLINIC 68 N. Algoma St. Thunder Bay Ontario CANADA P7A 4Z3 Tel: 807 346 – 6468 Fax: 807-345-3644 www.oralcare.ca Download Breath Odour Clinic Brochure (114 kb / pdf) |
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