Halitosis, the medical term for bad breath, can be caused by many things! You may experience bad breath if you have poor dental hygiene, eat certain types of food, or have unhealthy lifestyle habits. Visiting your dentist can allow you seek proper examination to see the root of the problem, but here are some of the more common reasons most people suffer from bad breath:
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Foods
One of the most common causes of bad breath is dependent upon what food you eat and how it breaks down in your mouth. When we consume any sort of food, it is then digested and absorbed into the bloodstream. After that, your broken down meal get pushed towards your lungs, which is when you may begin to notice your bad breath. This is why you will notice foods with stronger odors such as onions and garlic will not go away when you simply brush your teeth. In fact, most strong food odors will not subside until they have been passed through your entire body first.
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Poor Dental Hygiene
Your dentist tells you to brush and floss daily for a reason! If you don’t, it becomes much more likely that food particles will get stuck in your mouth, on your tongue, around your gums and in between your teeth. Because this bacteria was not brushed and flossed away, it begins to double and triple with every second, causing bad breath. This is also the case for elderly patients with dentures that are not properly cleaned before putting them back in their mouth.
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Poor Lifestyle Habits
If you smoke or even chew any type of tobacco-based product, you have welcomed more health issues than just bad breath. Amongst many other life threatening illnesses, these poor lifestyle habits can not only stain your teeth, but decrease your ability to taste different types of food, and irritate your gums too. All of this along with bad breath to top it off.
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Dry Mouth (Xerostomia)
Constant saliva production is necessary in order to moisten the mouth. When you suffer from Xerostomia, you can no longer neutralize acids produced by plaque and counteract dead cells that accumulate on the tongue, gums and cheeks. When these cells aren’t removed, it is likely you will suffer from the bad breath that these bacteria cells cause.
If halitosis becomes persistent enough, it could be an underlying cause of greater health issues. Gum disease is caused when plaque builds up on the teeth, allowing numerous kinds of toxins to form and irritate the gums. When periodontal disease is not treated immediately, it is likely that you will face severe jawbone and gum damage. Besides gum disease, there are other health issues that may be the cause of your stinky breath. If you suffer from respiratory infections (bronchitis and pneumonia), sinus infections that are chronic, postnasal drip, diabetes, acid reflux that is chronic, or liver and kidney problems, it is highly likely these diseases are causing your bad breath.
In order to prevent bad breath, there are a number of things you can do. Good oral hygiene is the best way to start! Brush your teeth twice a day and floss once daily. When brushing, don’t forget to brush your tongue, too because it holds a lot of bacteria! Replace your tooth brush every couple of weeks (2-3 weeks is the common suggestion by most dentists) and if you have dentures, be sure to remove them at night and thoroughly clean them before using them again. Stop bad lifestyle habits like smoking and be sure to drink a lot of water! If you have trouble producing saliva, try chewing some sugar free gum. It will help automatically produce saliva in your mouth. Keep a detailed list of the foods you eat and medications you take as well because they may have a bigger role in your bad breath than you’d think. Lastly, visiting your Livermore Hills Dentist at least twice a year to get an exam and checkup will help to determine if you have gum disease, dry mouth, or other health problems that are causing your bad breath.