|
New Delhi: Bad
breath is a problem which leads to low self esteem, but what could
be worse is the halitophobia, or the fear of bad breath, which
affects nearly five percent of India's adult population, say
doctors.
"Nearly 50 million Indian adults suffers from halitophobia, an
imaginary fear of having bad breath," says Ajay Sharma, senior
consultant dental surgeon, prosthodontist and oral Implantologist
at Max Healthcare.
Halitosis is the actual disease of bad breath, but mostly, people
just have the fear, or halitophobia.
"Only about 25 percent of people who approach with complain of
having halitosis actually have the problem," says Sharma, who says
75 percent of his patients who turn up daily with complain of bad
breath and live a life of nightmare are having halitophobia, not
halitosis.
Such people try to keep away from others, fearing repulsion. This
exaggerated fear can lead to isolation and eventually depression.
A person suffering from this condition can actually be afraid of
talking or breathing around others.
Sharma adds though the disease is diagnosed by dentists, it can be
cured by psychiatrists only.
"This reflects on the fact that such a large number of people have
this anxiety around teeth. At the same time, understanding the
importance of good self presentation is a positive attribute as
well," says psychiatrist Samir Parikh, who heads the department of
mental health and behavioural sciences at Max Healthcare.
"A dose of counselling is needed to rid them of bad breath
phobia," he adds.
|
Comments
|
Quick links