The science about the mouth and its hygiene

The books of science put it that in the human mouth are the; tongue, salivary glands, and teeth.

The tongue is a very important organ in a way that it aids speech, tasting of food, rolling of food, and swallowing. The tongue has taste buds for sweet, bitter, sour and salty chemicals. The foremost part of the tongue tastes sweet and salty chemicals. Sweet chemicals are also tasted at the end of the tongue toward the throat. Salt is also tasted from the sides of the tongue.

Taste buds for bitter chemicals are located mainly at the inner end of the tongue. There is normally a tendency of vomiting very bitter substance when they get to this region as we try to swallow. Sour chemical substances are tasted from the sides (left and right) of the tongue. Because of the tongue it is easy to sort bad from good foods.

The salivary glands release a fluid called saliva. Saliva is sticky, colorless, and very useful. Saliva has the following functions: softening food as we chew; sticking/binding small food particles together to form a bolus for swallowing; lubricating the mouth cavity; and contains the enzyme called salivary amylase (ptyalin) which chemically digests starch into maltose. Amylase starts the chemical digestion of starch.

The teeth are hard bony structures within the mouth. They are held firmly in the jaws by cement and gums. Their functions are; chewing, cutting, grinding, tearing and sorting food.the teeth also aid speech and prevent the jaws from falling in more so in old age. They have some little gaps in between.

 Hygiene of the mouth (buccal cavity):

The mouth is supposed to be kept clean all the time: we do this by regularly brushing our teeth. This has to be done as soon as we have had a meal. When we do not brush; the food that settles in the gaps between the teeth is attacked by bacteria which initiate the process of decay and decomposition. In this way the decay causes foul smell of the mouth. In addition, the bacteria also generate acids which react with the calcium in the teeth and make/bore holes in the teeth.

Solution to a smelling mouth problem:

This is a problem to so many people; and it lowers your dignity; your friends do run away from you! Use a recommended tooth pastes to keep your mouth fresh if you have the money. The tooth pastes are so many in the shops where we stay. If they fail to solve your problem as they sometimes do, use charcoal powder.  Charcoal powder it will save you.

Making the charcoal powder

Grind charcoal (wood charcoal) into powder and carefully sieve it. Place it in a clean air tight tin (container) and keep. Whenever you are going brush, place some powder onto the wet brush to do the teeth cleaning. I assure you, the smell will be no more. You will fit together with others. You have to rinse your mouth with much water however, so that the black charcoal particles get fully removed. Further more the charcoal powder brightens the teeth. (Dr. Mawejje a herbal health researcher in Uganda).

Brush your tongue also to free it from any food substance that may get stuck onto it.