Halloween kicks off a series of holidays celebrated with delicious treats, from yummy chocolate candies, to gut-busting dinners, to seasonal alcoholic beverages.

But while most of us will make sure to brush our brush after eating treats, National Dental Hygiene Month in October encourages a fuller approach to oral health.

"Teeth and gums are obviously key components of oral health care, but they're just part of the whole environment inside one's mouth," Dr. Bob Kross, a biochemist who's been researching and developing oral healthcare products for thirty years told us.

Dr. Kross' patented Breath Appeal oral rinse, (www.breathappeal.com), destroys both the putrefying anaerobic bacteria that degrade food particles and body cells to form sulfurous bad breath malodorants as well as many of the bacteria associated with gum disease.

"The nooks and crannies in our mouths and gums are not the only places crammed with organic debris, which feed the bacteria that create biofilm, such as plaque, to protect themselves from oxygen," Kross explained.

"There are also cracks on the tongue's surface and in the other soft tissues in the mouth and pharynx where bacteria collect, further compromising dental health and creating bad breath."

Normal oral bacteria are fine, actually even necessary, when present in proper balance with each other, but it's a problem when putrefying and pathogenic bacteria start to take over, the espert explained.

"The sticky candies and treats children and adults consume during this time of year can disrupt the normal balance of bacteria if good dental hygiene isn't practiced," Kross continued, who described how bad breath is created and how we can prevent it.

Check back tomorrow for Part 2 of our talk with Dr. Kross where he gives three essential tips on how to maintain ideal dental hygiene and still enjoy your favortie foods and candies from the spooky season to the holiday season!