How to Get Rid of Cigarette Breath With Probiotics
Published Nov 16, 2020
People smoke for many different reasons, but the main thing they go for is that high you get off nicotine. Nicotine is the addictive chemical found in tobacco smoke that keeps smokers coming back for more. But along with nicotine, smokers inhale thousands of other potentially damaging chemicals too. These chemicals can cause all sorts of nasty effects, one of which is bad breath. This article will cover what causes cigarette breath and how probiotics may get rid of it.
What is cigarette breath?
Cigarette breath is one of the many side effects you get from smoking, and research studies have established a statistically significant link between smoking and halitosis (bad breath). The smell of cigarette breath varies with the underlying cause, but it’s a consensus that it is an unpleasant and often rancid smell.
The numerous particles in the smoke are the cause of cigarette breath. When inhaled, these particles stick to not just your teeth but the soft tissue as well. Smoking also puts you at a significant risk of developing gum diseases and drying out your mouth, both of which are leading factors towards bad breath.
Conventional treatment for cigarette breath
- Brush your teeth often and properly. Maintaining your oral hygiene becomes especially important if you regularly smoke cigarettes. This entails brushing your teeth after every meal, gargling with mouthwash, and regular flossing.
- Drink your water. Staying hydrated is crucial for oral health because it keeps your saliva thin and flowing. Saliva flushes out food and other particles that would otherwise stick to your teeth and gums, which can cause bacteria to grow.
- Treat all existing dental diseases. Cigarette smoking can cause gum disease, and gum disease causes the gums to pull away from the teeth. The pocket between the teeth and gums that this creates can trap odor-causing bacteria, aggravating your halitosis. Some niggling symptoms of gum disease include sensitive teeth, bleeding gums, and painful chewing.
Stop smoking. Cigarette smoking isn’t only harmful to your oral health, but it can lead to a whole host of life-threatening diseases, including cancer, heart disease, and stroke. Smoking tobacco products and chronic halitosis are closely associated, so quitting this habit could boost oral and overall health, too.
Can probiotics get rid of cigarette breath?
Probiotics are the good bacteria that we’d typically associate with digestive health. However, studies have shown that oral probiotics may be the solution to many oral health problems. Let’s look at the facts.
In a 2016 study from the University of Connecticut, researchers studied the effects of the probiotic strains Streptococcus salivarius K12 and M18 on our oral health. Halitosis is caused by the presence of volatile sulfur compounds (VSC), which can cause the breath to smell like a rotten egg in many cases. Conventional treatment of halitosis uses antimicrobial agents or mechanical devices to reduce bacterial populations within the mouth. Simply put, conventional treatments try to fight off and reduce bad bacteria.
Instead of fighting off the bad bacteria, the researchers went an alternative route by populating the mouth with beneficial bacteria. When the subjects with high VSC levels took S. salivarius K12 lozenges for a week, 85% of them experienced a significant decrease in VSC levels. This translated directly to a noticeable relief from halitosis. Adding to that finding, researchers also found that saliva high in K12 showed a considerable reduction in VSC levels. Both strains were also found to be effective against gingivitis, pharyngitis, thrush, and dental decay.
While this research piece is promising, further studies should be conducted to validate the results.
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About The Author
Terrence Tan Ting is an industrial engineer by profession but a full time writer by passion. He loves to write about a wide range of topics from many different industries thanks to his undying curiosity.