Have you ever been embarrassed about your bad breath, making you feel self—conscious about smiling? Bad Breath, also know as halitosis is most often caused by the foods we eat like garlic, onion, or other foods with strong odors. Most of the time, your bad breath can be resolved by simply brushing right after you’ve eaten. However, some people may find that even after brushing, their bad breath returns. This is often a symptom of a more serious problem and requires proper treatment to resolve. In today’s article, we will address some reasons why your breath may smell bad.
Oral Health
Many of the halitosis cases we see are due to poor oral hygiene. Bad breath results when they don’t brush and clean their entire mouth to include their tongue. Plaque (bacteria) builds up on your teeth, tongue and, even your tonsils over causing bad breath odor. If poor oral hygiene continues over time gun disease and cavities can develop which are also associated with bad breath.
Dry Mouth
Saliva helps keep the mouth clean by removing food particles. If the production of saliva stops or slows down bad breath can develop. It’s not uncommon for everyone to experience dry mouth occasionally. Perhaps you just finished working out at the local gym and feel a bit parched. Or you get nervous for an upcoming event and feel like you have no saliva in your mouth. You may find a simple solution by drinking more water or switching away from an alcohol-based mouthwash. Prescription medications could also be the culprit since many of them do have the side effect of dry mouth. More serious causes of dry mouth include possible nerve damage, Sjogren’s syndrome or undergoing cancer treatment,
Other Reasons for Bad Breath
Most bad breath is caused by odor-causing bacteria but there may be some additional health-related reason why you are experiencing it. Halitosis could be an early warning sign for illness or diseases such as tonsil infections, diabetes, kidney and liver problems, sinus issues, and some blood disorders. Although rare, cancer and metabolic disorders may cause bad breath.
What are some remedies for bad breath?
The best way to resolve bad breath due to poor oral hygiene is to brush, floss, and rinse regularly. A good oral routine is your best weapon against smelly breath. At a minimum make sure you brush and floss your teeth in the morning and in the evening before you go to bed. Adding anti-cavity rinse and mouthwash to your oral routine will help keep your bad breath less severe.
While treating bad breath with home remedies can be done at your own home, we do recommend you seek out advice and information from your local dentist or doctor.
HPS Advanced Dental care in Shelby Township, MI can help end your halitosis. We are currently accepting new patients and offer convenient scheduling option including evening and Saturday appointments. Give us a call today at 248-652-0024
