Read carefully the following text. All bolded words have their meaning or a picture for your understanding of the reading. Once you finish reading it, go the the Writing Tab and answer the questions there.
What's That Smell?
Bad
breath is the common name for the medical condition known as halitosis.
Many different things can cause halitosis from not brushing your teeth to
certain medical conditions.
Sometimes,
a person's bad breath can blow you away and he or she may not realize
there's a problem. There are tactful (nice) ways of letting someone know about
bad breath. You could offer mints or sugarless gum without having to say
anything. If you need to tell a friend he or she has bad breath, you could say
that you understand foods can cause bad breath because you've had it before
yourself. By letting someone know that bad breath isn't something unusual,
you'll make your friend feel more comfortable and less embarrassed about
accepting your piece of chewing gum.
If
you suspect your own breath is foul (bad), ask someone who will give you an honest
answer without making fun of you. (Just don't ask your brother or sister - they
just might tell you your breath stinks even when it doesn't!)
Although
everyone gets bad breath sometimes, if you have bad breath a lot of times, you
may need to visit your dentist or doctor.
What Causes Bad Breath?
Here are three common causes of bad breath:
- foods and drinks, such as garlic, onions, cheese, orange juice, and soda
- poor dental hygiene, meaning not brushing and flossing regularly
- smoking and other tobacco use
Poor
oral hygiene leads to bad breath because when food particles are left in your
mouth, they can rot and start to smell. The food bits may begin to collect
bacteria, which can be smelly, too.
Not
brushing your teeth regularly will let plaque (a sticky, colorless film) build
up on your teeth. Plaque is a great place for bacteria to live and yet another
reason why breath can turn foul.
Preventing Smelly Breath
So
what should you do? Don't smoke or use tobacco products, of course. And take
care of your mouth by brushing your teeth at least twice a day and flossing
once a day. Brush your tongue, too, because bacteria can grow there. Flossing at
least once a day helps to get rid of particles wedged between your teeth. Also,
visit your dentist twice a year for regular checkups and cleanings.
Not
only will you get a thorough cleaning, the dentist will look around your mouth
for any potential problems, including those that can affect breath.
If
you're concerned about bad breath, tell your doctor or dentist. But don't be
surprised if he or she leans in and take a big whiff! Smell is one way doctors
and dentists can help figure out what's causing the problem. The way a person's
breath smells can be a clue to what's wrong. For instance, if someone has
uncontrolled diabetes, his or her breath might smell like acetone (the same
stuff that's in nail polish remover).
Usually,
there's a less complicated reason for bad breath, like what you had for lunch.
So keep up with your brushing and flossing and you should be breathing easy, and
odor free!
Notes:
- halitosis: (pronunciation) Bacteria that build up in your mouth and between your teeth produce the bad odor.
- dental hygiene: (pronunciation) cleaning regularly your teeth by brushing and flossing your teeth after each meal.
- whiff: (pronunciation) smelling/ an inhalation of odor, gas, smoke, air, odor, gas, smoke, or spray.
If you have further doubts regarding definitions, please follow this web page link MedlinePlus to look for more medical terms or if you need to know any other word click here Dictionary Macmillan.
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