You must have experienced this situation before. Another person leans back slightly while talking to you, or you smell your own breath after drinking coffee and wonder whether the same has been noticed by others. Bad breath, also termed halitosis, is something which people prefer not to talk about, but everybody experiences at least once in their lifetime.
What’s even better is that halitosis is always treatable, as long as you know what causes it. This is where we will explain why you have bad breath and how to stop it.
What Exactly Is Halitosis?
Halitosis is actually the scientific name for bad breath. The kind of bad breath that does not get better by brushing your teeth or chewing gum once. Bad breath is not always about what food you have eaten today. Halitosis generally indicates something that is going on in your mouth or stomach.
Common Causes of Bad Breath
1. Bacteria Buildup on the Tongue
This is the main culprit, and you probably don’t even know about it. The rear area of your tongue is riddled with small crevices where the bacteria live happily. While these bacteria consume the particles of food and dead cells, they produce sulphur compounds, which happen to be the cause of that nasty odour of your breath.
2. Poor Oral Hygiene
Failure to floss, inadequate brushing, and not cleaning the tongue can leave food particles behind. Eventually, this will result in plaque buildup, which becomes an ideal place for odour-causing bacteria to grow.
3. Dry Mouth (Xerostomia)
Saliva plays a role that goes beyond its ability to help in swallowing. It serves to keep washing out bacteria and bits of food. Since a dry mouth promotes the growth of bacteria and increases breath odour, most people usually notice this phenomenon early in the morning.
4. Gum Disease
Bad breath could become an early indicator for the onset of periodontal diseases. When there is a formation of bacteria within the gums, it causes inflammation of the gums, followed by bleeding of the gums, which in turn results in periodontal diseases. Periodontal diseases are definitely going to cause bad breath, which cannot be cured using mouthwashes. You should not ignore these signs of periodontal disease.
5. Certain Foods and Drinks
Foods like garlic, onions, coffee, and alcohol can cause this issue. These foods produce chemicals that go into your bloodstream and come out of your lungs, which is why brushing does not help in eliminating the smell immediately.
6. Smoking and Tobacco Use
Aside from the odour that is left behind by tobacco, it also dries up the mouth and irritates the gums, thus contributing twice to chronic bad breath.
7. Underlying Health Conditions
In some cases, the culprit lies outside the mouth entirely. Infections of the sinuses, gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), tonsil stones, and even other digestive problems are just a few of the causes of halitosis that aren’t related to oral hygiene practices.
How to Fix Bad Breath
Brush and Floss Properly: Twice a Day
It is simple to say, but techniques really matter. Brush for two minutes, position the brush at the gum line, and don’t forget flossing because it gets rid of food particles stuck in between the teeth, which the toothbrush cannot reach.
Tongue Clean-Up
Buy a tongue cleaner or brush your tongue using the backside of your toothbrush daily. This is something that will prove to be very helpful for some people.
Stay Hydrated
Consuming water throughout the day helps maintain saliva secretion, which removes bacteria and keeps your mouth moist.
Watch What You Eat
A reduction in consumption of odorous foods, sweet snacks, and too much coffee could be helpful, especially when you have a significant event or meeting scheduled.
Stop Smoking
It is quite challenging to quit, but quitting smoking can be one of the best things you can do. Not just for your breath, but your oral health as well.
Use Mouthwash That Does Not Contain Alcohol
Mouthwash that contains alcohol can make your mouth dry, and this will worsen halitosis. It would be better to opt for alcohol-free mouthwash.
See Your Dentist Regularly
It is the step that is always overlooked, and it happens to be the most important one. Halitosis is usually linked with such issues as periodontal diseases, caries, and the bacteria that tend to develop in areas that cannot be easily cleaned by yourself. It is through visiting a dentist that these problems can be detected at an early stage.
However, if you have persistent bad breath even after all the efforts mentioned above, then it would be advisable to schedule an appointment with the dentist in Etobicoke for a proper diagnosis of your gums and teeth to find out the real cause.
When Should You See a Professional?
If you find yourself having bad breath two weeks after learning how to keep good dental hygiene, and even when you have bad breath coupled with bleeding gums, foul taste in your mouth or accumulation of any kind of plaque, you must stop being shy and go ahead and seek professional opinion. Professional opinion will come in handy to establish whether the problem is caused by gum disease or cavities.
Final Thoughts
But then again, bad breath is not something that should be accepted in its natural state, especially because the main reason for bad breath can be identified and therefore fixed easily. The best way to go about this is to maintain oral hygiene by brushing teeth, cleaning the tongue, drinking plenty of water, and making regular trips to one’s dentist. But in case one fails, all you need to do is visit a dentist in Etobicoke.
