Side affects: dry mouth (AKA halitosis)
Does you medication list halitosis (dry mouth) as a side
affect. Countless over-the-counter medicines and
prescriptions medications claim dry mouth as a possible
side affect. Dry mouth is a leading cause of chronic bad
breath (halitosis), which means your medications could
cause halitosis. And you wouldn’t even know it, unless
someone brought it to your attention, since most people
cannot smell their own breath 犀利士.
Any medication or treatment that causes dry mouth or
reduces salivation, allergy medications, antidepressants,
blood pressure, and sinus medications all have the
potential to cause halitosis.
Chronic bad breath (halitosis) is caused by a number of
other factors which may have never affected you before, but
add another factor such as certain medications and you’re
soon victim of halitosis.
The other factors that contribute to chronic bad breath,
aside from dry mouth, include improper oral hygiene,
absence of flossing, your body’s tendency to overproduce
bacteria, a high fat or high protein diet, cavities,
consuming too much alcohol or coffee, and overusing breath
mints or mouthwashes. Do you do any of the above? (Be
honest, we won’t tell.) If you do, and you now take a
medication that can lead to halitosis, it is time to get
serious and look for remedies to combat chronic bad breath.
According to the Massachusetts Dental Association, a mind
blowing $10 billion dollars is spent each year to get rid
of bad breath, most of it on items that only work
temporarily like alcohol-based mouth wash and breath mints.
Here are a few home remedies to help off-set halitosis that
may be caused by medications.
If your medication gives you a dry mouth, drink plenty of
water. If you drink at least 8 glasses of water per day and
you still have a dry feeling, or chronic bad breath then
add lemon or lime to your water. Also try gargling with
water mixed with either one drop of Myrrh essential oil, or
grapefruit seed extract. This will help eliminate any
bacteria that are growing in your mouth and cause
halitosis. Use this instead of mouth wash, since the
alcohol in store bought washes will further dry out your
mouth making chronic bad breath worse.
If you are taking medication for allergies, a cold or sinus
problems, boil a pot of water on the stove and add vinegar.
Turn off the heat and inhale the steam which will clear up
you nasal passages, while the vinegar kills any bacteria
that can lead to halitosis.
Eat a balanced diet. Consuming too much fat, protein or
dairy can result in excess mucus and bacteria leading to
halitosis. Stay away from dairy and breads a few hours
before your bedtime as these create mucus that will form
when you sleep creating a haven for halitosis.
Finally, if taking medications, keep a food diary listing
what you ate each day and the state of your halitosis, if
any. Also note if you had excess mucus or a dry mouth. In
doing this you can keep track of how certain food affect
you—and your breath.