How to Cure Bad Breath and Its Causes

Bad breath is a real concern for many, but hardly an unsolvable problem

But, similar to having crooked teeth, embarrassment produced on a person with bad breath might also negatively impact their self-esteem. Have we mentioned the implications for a person’s overall health?

Suppose you haven’t considered the many concerns behind oral health. Let us tell you, breath mints only hide the problem. In that case, it is time to start observing the relationship that good oral health has on our social life, professional expectations, and, most importantly, our health.

This article encompasses how to deal with bad breath and oral care’s importance in daily life for good dental health.

What Causes Bad Breath, And How To Solve It?

To start describing the causes of bad breath, also referred to as halitosis, we might first divide this segment into two parts. Some causes originate in the mouth, and others regard illnesses or conditions in other body parts.

Let’s start with halitosis that originates in the mouth:

Oral Hygiene And Care

Poor oral hygiene is the number one cause of bad breath and one that patients sometimes underestimate. Here we include some of the steps you must follow to start discarding causes of halitosis:

Brush Your Teeth After Meals Every Day

Patients with halitosis must brush their teeth for at least two minutes after meals and imperiously at night before bed. Use the back of your toothbrush to clean behind your tongue where amino acids mix with sulfur-producing bacteria. Patients with halitosis might also try an antibacterial toothpaste.

Make Flossing Part of Your Oral Hygiene Routine

Dentists and Oral Hygienists insist patients must floss after meals. Yet, despite the constant advice and insistence, patients often skip flossing.

As a result, food accumulates between teeth and eventually forms tartar from bacteria decomposed material that calcifies, giving off an unpleasant odor and resulting in tooth decay problems.

Attend Periodic Dental Clean-up Visits

We’ve just mentioned tartar forms between teeth. If you maintain good oral hygiene, you likely eliminate most of the food and bacteria that form it, but still, there are entrenched parts you might not be able to reach, which might slowly accumulate food debris.

Teeth have irregular shapes where food particles get stuck; sometimes, we might not observe them while brushing. Also, tartar might build up in the rear part of the teeth.

On some other occasions, partially sprouted, impacted wisdom teeth might cause food accumulation, and even if we regularly brush and floss, it might produce bad breath.

Therefore, it is a priority to have dental checkups with a dentist or a dental hygienist at least twice a year for deep cleaning as part of your dental hygiene plan.

Dirt On Dentures Or Other Appliances

It might sound a little overwhelming. Hygiene here, hygiene there, you might be tired. However, talking to people and feeling rejected due to bad breath is even worse.

If you wear dentures, braces, retainers, and any kind of permanent or removable dental appliances in your mouth, you must double the effort at practicing good oral hygiene to eliminate odor-causing bacteria.

Dedicate time to brush your denture appliances, preferably using an additional soft-bristled toothbrush. You might also use cleaning tablets like Retainer Brite to disinfect them every night.

Remember, bacteria are all around us, and denture appliances are perfect collectors of bacteria and fungi that produce smelly rot material.

A Specific Diet

Some people love onions and garlic, and we don’t blame them; they are delicious in some preparations. Also, these ingredients are part of culinary traditions in Asian countries.

However, despite their taste, you might want to refrain from eating them if you’re going to keep a fresh breath, as once absorbed by the body, they give off an odor that extends from the sweat glands to the mouth.

Gums Disease (Periodontitis | Periodontal Disease)

Gum disease has different levels, from mild, that you can solve by resuming good dental hygiene habits.

However, severe gum disease, known as periodontitis or periodontal disease, might produce the formation of bacterial fluid sacs (bacterial infection) inside the gums that cause an unpleasant odor. In this case, your dentist might refer you to a periodontal specialist to treat this condition.

Dry mouth (Xerostomia)

Saliva is a body protectant against bacteria. For this reason, part of the recommendations to alleviate bad breath includes drinking plenty of water to enhance saliva production and alleviate dry mouth.

Halitosis might also originate from other sources or medical conditions:

  • Diabetes;
  • A respiratory infection (nose or lungs);
  • Chronic bronchitis or sinus infection;
  • Gastrointestinal disorders;
  • A liver or kidney disease;
  • Postnasal drip and;
  • Using tobacco products (chewing, cigarettes, or cigars).

The only recommendation for these cases is to check with a specialist or healthcare provider to obtain a definite diagnosis and therapy.

Can Dental Implants Cause Bad Breath?

Yes, dental implants can cause bad breath. Implants might produce peri-implantitis, a periodontal infection in the soft tissue or bone caused in most cases by the poor materials used in the implants at the site of the procedure.

Infections produce a sensation of bad taste that correlates with bad breath. Patients might try to brush, but the smell will remain until you get to a periodontist or prosthodontist to oversee your case.

Also, you might experience light bleeding during your brushing sessions, see some pus draining from your gums, or experience some form of gum recession. These signs of infection also bring unpleasant strong odors to you and those near you. In both cases, you need to call a specialist and use an antibacterial mouthwash.

We Are Specialists Treating Oral Infections in Buckhead, GA

Sometimes we are afraid of the new, like finding a new dental office in town or going for the first time. But, what better than introducing you to our dental practice and showing you through a sensory experience what we do best, top-quality dentistry? Visit our website and check for yourself and if you are still not convinced, make an appointment; our team will gladly help you solve any of your dental concerns.