Bad Breath

What causes bad breath, and how can I get rid of it? Bad breath (halitosis) is often caused by bacteria in the mouth or upper airway that produce sulfur-containing compounds. Usually, it can be banished by flossing and brushing teeth twice a day and brushing and scraping the tongue. If bacteria are also lurking in deep "pockets" in the gums, a dental professional must scrape them out. But even with excellent oral hygiene, some people need more drastic approaches. About 90 percent of bad breath is caused by bacteria in the mouth itself, and a only small percentage is caused by bacteria in the tonsils, said Dr. Richard Price, a retired dentist and a spokesman for the American Dental Association.

Attention those of you with bad breath, a deep-rooted love of toilet paper and a hankering to yo-yo with a crowd: The Bowie Baysox want you. Marking its 15th home opener tonight, the Orioles' Double-A affiliate is filling its dance card with the bizarre. On May 26, the team will try to break the U.S. record for group yo-yoing (630) set in 1991 at Marley Station in Glen Burnie. "We're going for 1,500," said Phil Wrye, assistant general manager who oversees marketing. Why 1,500? That's how many toys he ordered Tuesday.

The news was shocking. Hillary Clinton, the world's most powerful woman and not just because she can out-arm-wrestle Bill, had invited advice columnist Ann Landers to the White House for a chat. (This is completely true.)You'd expect this from, say, Nancy Reagan, who had her own personal astrologer/fashion consultant, who also served, but only when asked, as the national security adviser.While Nancy Reagan might have Ann Landers' home phone number committed to memory, Hillary is a little different.

DJ KayJay was always interested in DJing, even before the rise of party-starters such as Calvin Harris and Deadmau5, whose songs have overtaken the club scene. The Baltimore-based DJ, otherwise known as Kristin Jackson, likes to please the crowd with her versatile play style, which ranges from commercial house to rock. After six years in the business, 28-year-old Jackson says what she does is more than just a hobby. "DJing is my full time job," the Bel Air resident says. "I have been lucky enough to have the opportunities available to turn this into a career.

FRIENDSVILLE -- In the mountains of far Western Maryland and across Appalachia, there are two kinds of people: those who eat ramps and those who don't.For 11 months of the year, it isn't much of an issue. But come the first breath of spring -- and for ramp-eaters it is bad breath -- the camps divide."Don't! Don't eat ramps!" a waitress at Point View Inn on Deep Creek Lake warns. "They come through your pores for two days. You'll be sorry."Eat a "good gorge of ramps," and "it does something to your blood," says Marlin Lawson of Friendsville.

Historical hearsay has it that when George III was told the Colonies were lost, he kicked his spaniel, felt a fit of fine madness coming on, yawned -- and popped an Altoid.Mariel Hemingway says when she's ready for her close-up and lunch contained more garlic than linguine, she'll chew an Altoid.Comedian Joan Rivers is addicted to these original, celebrated, curiously strong peppermints. A distinctive red and white tin of Altoids rested at the right hand of prosecutor Christopher Darden throughout the O. J. Simpson criminal trial.

Here's another one for the "what to get the person who has everything" list: etc -- the world's first electric tongue scraper. Wait -- this is serious.The American Dental Association recommends daily tongue cleaning as a necessary part of home oral hygiene. "Cleaning the tongue once a day, in conjunction with dental products containing chlorine dioxide, is the best way to combat bad breath," says Baltimore dentist Robert A. Jacobson.Although tongue scrapers have been on the market since 1951, the Oralgiene company has developed the first electric tongue cleaner.

You may be biting off more than you can chew when you sink your teeth into a fairy tale these days.In one story, Bad Breath comes to Planet Enamel and meets Wisdom Tooth. But it's not as strange as it sounds. To hundreds of children in the Baltimore area, this is a new way to have fun and to learn about dental care.Tooth Fairy Tales, a telephone subscription service, was begun early in the fall by Wendy Schunick, the mother of two young children and wife of a dentist.A subscription costs $10 or $25. The child receives a letter and a tooth pouch and can telephone the tooth fairy 10 times during the year and hear a different fairy tale each time.

I read that cinnamon is good against plaque. Can you tell me how to take it? Research funded by the Wrigley Company has found that chewing cinnamon gum can kill bacteria in the mouth that cause bad breath. There is no indication, however, that these bacteria are also involved in the tooth plaque that causes tooth decay. Gum that contains the natural sugar substitute xylitol (Aquafresh Dental Gum, Carefree Koolerz, Spry, Stimorol, etc.) can reduce mouth bacteria that cause plaque and cavities.

`Grossology' If you find the gross to be simply engrossing, there's no question you'll be delightfully grossed-out by the new exhibit Grossology: The (Impolite) Science of the Human Body, running Saturday through April 29 at the Maryland Science Center. With 18 interactive displays and games on runny noses, bad breath, body odors, renal functions, pimples, warts, scabs, the digestive system and other "gross" functions and parts, the exhibit is educational and fun for visitors of all ages.