Halitosis

Bad breath

It is difficult to detect when you have halitosis, or bad breath. But all of us have suffered from getting too close to others with bad breath and have not enjoyed the experience! The simplest and most effective way to find out if you are suffering from halitosis is to ask someone else to say if and when this is a problem for you.

There are many causes of bad breath, but the most common is poor oral hygiene, or eating foods that cause your breath to change to an unpleasant odour. Foods and substances that do this are garlic, onions, alcohol and smoking.

Some medical conditions can cause bad breath, such as sinusitis, tonsillitis, an upset stomach, as well as more serious conditions affecting the digestive tract, kidney or liver.

If you have been told you have halitosis it is important to ensure that your oral hygiene is all it should be. Regular tooth brushing, at least twice a day, flossing, scraping or brushing your tongue gently with a special brush at least daily, and dental check-ups at least annually, are important routines to have.

People that eat or use substances that taint the breath can use mouthwashes or sugar-free gums to mask unpleasant smells from your breath. Stopping smoking is a key step to improving your breath, as well as other clearly demonstrated health benefits.

If you have tried to treat bad breath and find that persistent bad breath is a problem for you or someone in your family, talk to your community pharmacist. They can advise you about further products to use to treat and prevent halitosis, or refer you for more specialised help to determine if your condition needs some medical or dental treatment to ease your bad breath problems.

Swallowing difficulties (dysphagia)

Causes of swallowing difficulties

Swallowing difficulties can happen at any age. There are a wide range of causes for them, including:

some medicines, such as antipsychotics
heartburn and acid reflux
cancer, such as mouth or throat cancers
nervous system or brain disorders
muscle disorders
blockages or structural issues with your mouth, throat or oesophagus.

Symptoms of swallowing difficulties

Symptoms of swallowing difficulties may include:

coughing or choking when eating or drinking
bringing food back up, may be through your nose
the feeling that food is stuck in your throat
having issues chewing your food
problems with dribbling.

Swallowing difficulties can cause weight loss, dehydration and chest infections.

Diagnosing swallowing difficulties

Let your healthcare provider know if you have swallowing difficulties. They will ask you about your symptoms and check if any other health conditions you have may be the cause.

Your healthcare provider may refer you to a specialist for tests. These may include a:

gastroscopy—a camera is passed down through your mouth to look at your throat and stomach
swallowing study—your throat and stomach are x-rayed as you swallow small amounts of food.

Treating swallowing difficulties

How your swallowing difficulties are treated depends on the cause and how severe it is. Treatments may include:

medicines to treat acid reflux
swallowing therapy with a speech and language therapist
making changes to what you eat and drink, such as softer foods and using thickener in drinks
using special spoons, plates and cups
surgery to widen your oesophagus.
using special medication lubricants eg Gloup to help make it easier to swallow tablets etc. For more information click here.

Self care for swallowing difficulties

As well as seeing your healthcare provider, the following tips may help you to get food or liquids into your stomach.

Sit upright in a chair—at a table is best.
Have regular small meals instead of the main large meals.
Eat or drink small mouthfuls at a time.
If your voice is gurgly when you eat or drink, give a small cough to make sure your airway is clear.
Wet food will be easier to swallow as dry food can catch in your throat.
If your food has 2 consistencies, such as fruit in juice and cereal in milk, try to mix it into 1 consistency, or eat the solid and liquid portions separately.
Concentrate on eating and avoid talking.
Hot, ice-cold or fizzy liquids are easier to swallow than room temperature liquids.
If you are told to have thickened liquids, avoid ice-cream and jelly as they thin before swallowing.
Drink from the top half of you cup to avoid tipping your head back.

Have a look at our range of Gloup medication lubricants here which can help with difficulties swallowing tablets...

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