Bad breath happens. If you’ve ever gotten that not-so-fresh feeling on a date, at a job interview, or just talking with friends, you’re not alone. Studies show that 50 percent of adults have had bad breath, or halitosis, at some point in their lives.
What Causes Bad Breath?
There are a number of reasons you might have a dragon breath. While many causes are harmless, bad breath can sometimes be a sign of something more serious underlying systemic condition.
Bacteria
Bad breath can happen anytime thanks to the hundreds of types of bad breath-causing bacteria that naturally live in your mouth. Your mouth also acts like a natural hothouse that allows these bacteria to grow. When you eat, bacteria feed on the food left in your mouth and leaves a foul-smelling waste product behind. The chemicals released by certain types of food content get into your blood and get secreted in saliva causing bad odor.
Dry Mouth
This is the most common problem in millions of patients and patients don’t realize it early on unless they are regularly monitored by the dentist. The lack of saliva can be caused by stress, low salivary gland activity. This could be a side effect of several medicines that the patients take round the clock.
Feeling parched? Your mouth might not be making enough saliva. Saliva is important because it works around the clock to wash out your mouth. If you don’t have enough, your mouth isn’t being cleaned as much as it should be. Dry mouth can be caused by certain medications, salivary gland problems, or by simply breathing through your mouth.
Gum Disease
Bad breath that just won’t go away or a constant bad taste in your mouth can be a warning sign of advanced gum disease, which is caused by a sticky cavity-causing bacteria called plaque. Plaque is a slimy yellowish-white layer that forms constantly in the mouth even after brushing. The plaque can be removed but in the event that this is allowed to stay for long periods it hardens and becomes calculus which is harder to remove by the patients.
Food
Garlic, onions, coffee… The list of breath-offending foods is long, and what you eat affects the air you exhale.
Smoking and Halitosis
Smokers have been shown to have a reduced amount of healthy oral flora. The chemicals released during smoke can not only damage the gums but they in turn slow down the rate of cell turn over-responsible for healing your body. Smoking stains your teeth gives you bad breath and puts you at risk for a host of health problems. Nicotine reduces the natural host immune response predisposing yourself to gum disease-causing bacteria
Tobacco reduces your ability to taste foods and irritates gum tissues. Tobacco users are more likely to suffer from gum disease. Since smoking also affects your sense of smell, smokers may not be aware of how their breath smells.
Medical Conditions
Mouth infections can cause bad breath. However, if your dentist has ruled out other causes and you brush and floss every day, your bad breath could be the result of another problem, such as a sinus condition, gastric reflux, diabetes, liver or kidney disease. In this case, see your healthcare provider.
How Can I Keep Bad Breath Away?
Brush and Floss
Brush twice a day and clean between your teeth daily with floss to get rid of all that bacteria that’s causing your bad breath.
Mouthwash
Mouth wash and sugarless chewing gums give temporarily reprieve from bad breath. The use of mouth wash is never a substitute for brushing and flossing. Over-the-counter mouthwashes can help kill bacteria or neutralize and temporarily mask bad breath. It’s only a temporary solution, however. The longer you wait to brush and floss away food in your mouth, the more likely your breath will offend.
Clean Your Dentures
If you wear removable dentures, take them out at night, and clean them thoroughly before using them again the next morning. Its recommended that the dentures be left outside the mouth at night to give the gums and bone underneath recovery time. Most of the patients who wear dentures use denture adhesive to help retain the denture in place during the function.Its important that every night these dentures are cleaned and then worn back
Keep That Saliva Flowing
To get more saliva moving in your mouth, try eating healthy foods that require a lot of chewing, like carrots or apples. You can also try chewing sugar-free gum or sucking on sugar-free candies. There are several prescription based alternatives to help improve your secretions, Your dentist may also recommend artificial saliva stimulants.
Quit Smoking
Giving up this dangerous habit is good for your body in many ways. Not only will you have better breath, but you’ll also have a better quality of life.
Visit Your Dentist Regularly
If you’re concerned about what’s causing your bad breath, make an appointment to see your dentist. Regular checkups allow your dentist to detect any problems such as gum disease or dry mouth and stop them before they become more serious. If you have any questions please call Expressions Family Dental at 704-256-3548.