What causes bad breath? - Mel Rosenberg

譯者: Helen Chang 審譯者: 瑞文Eleven 林Lim

There is a curse that has plagued humanity since ancient times.

人類自古以來即苦於此詛咒

The Greeks fought it by chewing aromatic resins,

希臘人咀嚼芳香樹脂來對付它

while the Chinese resorted to egg shells.

中國人則是用蛋殼

In the ancient Jewish Talmud,

依據古猶太法典

it's even considered legal grounds for divorce.

這可以是離婚的合法理由

This horrible scourge is halitosis, otherwise known as bad breath.

這可怕的禍害是口臭 也就是口氣難聞

But what causes it, and why is it so universally terrifying?

造成原因是什麼？ 為何口臭普遍被認為可怕呢？

Well, think of some of the worst odors you can imagine,

想像一些最難聞的氣味

like garbage, feces or rotting meat.

如垃圾、糞、腐肉

All of these smells come from the activity of microorganisms,

這些氣味都來自微生物的活動

particularly bacteria,

尤其細菌的活動

and, as disgusting as it may sound,

儘管聽起來噁心

similar bacteria live in the moisture-rich environment of your mouth.

類似的細菌就住在口腔 這類潮濕的環境裡

Don't panic.

不要驚慌

The presence of bacteria in your body is not only normal,

身體裡有細菌存在，不僅正常

it's actually vital for all sorts of things,

而且事實上對於生命諸事

like digestion and disease prevention.

例如消化、預防疾病等等 都非常地重要

But like all living things, bacteria need to eat.

如同所有的生物 細菌需要吃東西

The bacteria in your mouth feed off of mucus,

口中的細菌進食黏液

food remnants,

食物殘渣

and dead tissue cells.

和死掉的細胞組織

In order to absorb nutrients through their cell membranes,

為了透過細胞膜吸收養分

they must break down the organic matter into much smaller molecules.

細菌必須把有機物 分解為更小的分子

For example, they'll break proteins into their component amino acids

例如把蛋白質分解成氨基酸

and then break those down even further into various compounds.

然後更進一步 分解成各種化合物

Some of the foul-smelling byproducts of these reactions,

這些反應產生一些 帶著惡臭的副產物

such as hydrogen sulfide and cadaverine,

例如硫化氫和屍胺

escape into the air

逸到空氣中

and waft their way towards unsuspecting noses.

飄向毫無防備的鼻子

Our sensitivity to these odors and interpretation of them as bad smells

我們對於這些味道的敏感度 和惡臭氣味的解讀

may be an evolutionary mechanism warning us of rotten food

可能是一種進化機制 警告我們腐爛食物

and the presence of disease.

與疾病的存在

Smell is one of our most intimate and primal senses,

嗅覺是我們最親密的主要感覺之一

playing a huge role in our attraction to potential mates.

它扮演著吸引 潛在伴侶的重要角色

In one poll, 59% of men and 70% of women

一個調查顯示 有59%的男人和70%的女人

said they wouldn't go on a date with someone who has bad breath,

不願與有口臭的人約會

which may be why Americans alone

這可能是為什麼僅僅美國人

spend $1 billion a year on various breath products.

每年就花費十億美元 在各式改良口腔氣息的產品上

Fortunately, most bad breath is easily treated.

還好，大多數口臭很容易處理

The worst smelling byproducts come from gram-negative bacteria

最糟糕的副產品氣味 來自革蘭氏陰性菌

that live in the spaces between gums and teeth

存在於牙齦和牙齒的間隙

and on the back of the tongue.

以及舌頭的後面

By brushing and flossing our teeth,

刷牙、用牙線清潔牙齒

using antibacterial mouthwash at bedtime,

睡前使用抗菌漱口水

gently cleaning the back of the tongue with a plastic scraper

用塑料刮板輕輕清潔 舌頭的後部

and even just eating a healthy breakfast,

以及吃健康的早餐

we can remove many of these bacteria and their food sources.

我們就可以去除許多​​細菌 和它們的食物來源

In some cases, these measures may not be enough

在某些情況下，這些做法還不夠

due to dental problems, nasal conditions, or rarer ailments,

由於牙齒的問題、鼻腔的狀況 或是罕見疾病

such as liver disease and uncontrolled diabetes.

例如肝病和失控的糖尿病

Behaviors like smoking and excessive alcohol consumption

抽煙或過量飲酒

also have a very recognizable odor.

也會產生可明顯的氣味

Regardless of cause,

無論什麼原因

the bad smell almost always originates in the mouth

臭味幾乎都來自嘴巴

and not the stomach or elsewhere in the body.

而不是胃或身體其他部位

But one of the biggest challenges lies

但最大的挑戰之一在於

in actually determining how our breath smells in the first place,

確任我們的口腔氣息如何

and it's unclear why.

及其原因

It may be that we're too acclimatized

或許我們太習慣 自己口腔的氣味

to the smell inside our own mouths to judge it.

以致無法判斷

And methods like cupping your hands over your mouth,

而像是用手掩蓋嘴巴自聞

or licking and smelling your wrist don't work perfectly either.

或是舔聞手腕 這些方法都不準確

One study showed that even when people do this,

一項研究顯示 當人們如此做時

they tend to rate the smell subjectively

他們傾向於以 自認為會有多糟

according to how bad they thought it was going to be.

主觀地判斷氣味程度

But there's one simple, if socially difficult,

有一個做起來容易 但社交上卻不適切

way of finding out how your breath smells:

能夠確知你的口氣聞起來如何

just take a deep breath and ask a friend.

大大的呼出一口氣 然後詢問朋友