Beating Bad Breath during Ramadan
EsinIslam
Ramadan
Ramadan Explorer
Bad breath seems to be more potent when fasting due to the dryness of the
mouth. To reduce this it would be recommended to drink plenty of fluids during
the evening and suhur time.
The coming month is a sacred time for all Muslims when we are required to
abstain from all food and drink during daylight hours in order to obey the one
we love, Allah the Most High.
However, hunger and thirst are not the only obstacles during this month, a
common complaint especially amongst Muslims required to work with others is
bad breath or halitosis given that bad breath can lead to a decrease in
self-confidence and insecurity in social and intimate relations.[1]
Halitosis is the term used to describe an unpleasant odour exhaled through the
mouth. Bad breath has a significant impact; indeed, researchers say it is the
third most common reason for patients to visit a dentist.[2] So what can we do
to reduce or eliminate bad breath whilst fasting? To be able to understand how
to reduce bad breath, it would be prudent to have some understanding of the
origins of it.
In most cases (85-90%) the origins of bad breath are from the mouth.[3]The
intensity of bad breath however can differ depending on diet and dryness of
the mouth etc. As a result of the mouth being drier whilst fasting (where
drinking any form of liquid is impermissible), there more of a potent smell.
Bad breath is thought to originate mainly from the dorsum of the tongue. In
5-10% of cases bad breath originates from the nose and sinuses and in 3-5% of
cases from the tonsils. Other rarer origins are systemic diseases and
according to the vast majority of researchers, the stomach and digestive tract
plays a very negligible role.[4]
Foul odours are mainly produced due to the anaerobic breakdown, by bacteria,
of proteins into individual amino acids, followed by the further breakdown of
certain amino acids to produce detectable foul gases. For example, the
breakdown of cysteine and methionine produce hydrogen sulphide and methyl
mercaptan respectively. Volatile sulphur compounds have been shown to be
statistically associated with oral malodour levels.
Large quantities of naturally-occurring bacteria are often found on the
posterior dorsum of the tongue, where they are rather undisturbed by normal
activity. This part of the tongue is also quite dry and poorly cleansed, and
bacterial populations can thrive on remnants of food deposits, dead epithelial
cells and postnasal drip (PND). The convoluted microbial structure of the
tongue dorsum provides an ideal habitat for anaerobic bacteria. Over 600 types
of bacteria can be found in the average mouth, of which several dozen produce
high levels of foul odours when incubated in the laboratory.[5]
Other parts of the mouth may also contribute to the overall odour, but are not
as common as the back of the tongue. These include inter-dental and
sub-gingival niches, faulty dental work, food-impaction areas in-between the
teeth, abscesses and unclean dentures. In some people, bad breath is
associated with gum disease, especially if rubbing the areas between the teeth
and gums yields a foul odour. Your dentist can help prevent and treat gum
diseases in various ways, depending on the type and extent of the problem, but
your own daily home care makes all the difference in maintaining gum health
between appointments. Cleaning of the spaces between the teeth is of great
importance. People with gum disease often have higher levels of odour coming
from their tongue.[6]
During fasting bad breath seems to be worse. Why would this be? Saliva is the
natural mouthwash we were born with. It contains antibacterial agents, and
competes with bacteria for scarce resources such as iron. Saliva helps wash
the bacteria from the mouth, and the saliva layer helps the oral odours from
escaping. Bad breath is worst when there is little or no saliva flow, for
example after a night's sleep. As soon as one wakes up and starts to salivate,
the smell recedes. That is why bad breathe increases when we fast.
The things that we can do to reduce bad breath both during Ramadan and
throughout the year should now be obvious and the reasoning should be easier
to understand. The first thing would be to maintain proper oral hygiene. This
would include tongue cleaning. Gently cleaning the tongue twice daily is the
most effective way to keep bad breath in control; that can be achieved using a
tongue scraper to wipe off the bacterial biofilm, debris, and mucus. Ask your
dentist to recommend a scraper for your tongue. A toothbrush should be avoided
as the bristles only spread the bacteria in the mouth, and grip the tongue,
causing a gagging reflex.[7] Scraping of the V-shaped row of taste buds found
at the extreme back of the tongue should also be avoided. Brushing a small
amount of saltwater onto the tongue surface will further inhibit bacterial
action. Eating a healthy breakfast with rough foods helps clean the very back
of the tongue too.[8]
One should also brush regularly, for four minutes, twice a day. It is of
paramount importance that we time ourselves since we have little idea of how
much time we have actually spent brushing. Several studies have shown that we
generally spend less time brushing than we perceive unless it is our routine
to time oneself. When brushing we should clean our teeth and gums[9],
especially cleaning even more thoroughly after eating or drinking milk
products, fish and meat – especially at suhur time. Flossing should be
implemented daily and choose unscented floss so that you can detect those
areas between your teeth that give off odours, and clean them more carefully.
What would also be recommended to the fasting person is the specific use
miswak throughout the day. The miswak (miswaak, siwak, sewak) is a teeth
cleaning twig made from a twig of the Salvadora persica tree, also known as
the arak tree (or peelu tree). It is well-known amongst most Muslims - but is
using a miswak effective at cleaning one's mouth?
The Wrigley Company carried out a study on miswak which was published in the
Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry. The study found that mints laced
with miswak extract were 20 times more effective in killing bacteria than
ordinary mints. After half an hour, the mints laced with miswak extract killed
about 60% of the bacteria whereas the ordinary mints managed only 3.6%.
In the August issue of Journal of Periodontology (2008) appeared a study
conducted by Swedish researchers on miswak. The study apparently found that
suspended Miswak pieces in a petridish (medium for culturing bacteria) were
able to kill bacteria that cause periodontal disease without being in physical
contact with the bacteria. The researchers suggested that Miswak might be
giving antibiotics as gases trying to explain this phenomenon.
Another study which compared tooth brushing and using miswak can be found on
Pubmed (U.S National Library for Medicine Service). The study concluded that
miswak was more effective than tooth brushing in reducing plaque and
gingivitis provided it was used correctly. Similarly a study conducted by a
group of dentists at King Saud University concluded that using miswak was at
least as good as tooth brushing, if not better.
The effectiveness of miswak has been attributed to its strong antibacterial
properties. Another feature of miswak thought to contribute to its
effectiveness, mentioned by the King Saud University study, is that its
bristles are parallel to the handle rather than perpendicular which means
effective cleaning between the teeth. The World Health Organization (WHO)
interestingly enough recommended the use of the miswak in 1986. So we would
have to agree that using miswak is both rewardable and effective.
Bad breath seems to be more potent when fasting due to the dryness of the
mouth. To reduce this it would be recommended to drink plenty of fluids during
the evening and suhur time. If you are a denture wearer, it would be advisable
for you to soak the denture in an antiseptic mouthwash overnight. Regular
visits to the dentist are also essential although we may not enjoy them. There
may be cavities, broken fillings, spacing between teeth, or pockets that may
be allowing food packing which may in itself be causing a foul smell.
So in conclusion, if you want to beat the bad breath during Ramadan, then
clean your tongue, brush thoroughly (especially after those meat and fish
curries!) and drink plenty of fluids whenever you can.
Abdul Jabbar Hussain
Notes: this article has been reposted
Source: www.islam21c.com
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[1] Social relations and breath odour, published in International Journal
of Dental Hygiene Nov. 2003
[2] Review of attendance behaviour in Dental Update April 2007
[3] The science of bad breath. Sci Am. 2002 Apr
[4] ibid
[5] Rosenberg M. Clinical assessment of bad breath: current concepts. J Am
Dent Assoc. 1996 Apr
[6] Scully C, Rosenberg M. Halitosis. Dent Update. 2003 May
[7] ibid
[8] Production and origin of oral malodour J Periodontol. 1977 Jan)
[9] Scully C, Rosenberg M. Halitosis. Dent Update
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