Halitosis, the medical name for bad breath, impacts approximately 30% of people around the world. Whether you wake up feeling like you have morning breath or you notice your breath after a garlicky dinner, there are countless products and tips that are designed to alleviate your symptoms. If you fail to treat the underlying causes of your bad breath, however, you can end up fixing the symptoms but not the real problem. Here are three things that could be leading to your bad breath.
Food
The most obvious cause of bad breath is food. Some foods, like garlic and onion, are very potent and can make your breath bad the moment that you eat them. Not brushing your teeth after eating can also make your breath smell. The food particles that are stuck on and around your teeth will increase the bacteria present in your mouth and lead to a bad odor. Only flossing, brushing, and having regular dental cleanings will fully eliminate excess food particles from your mouth.
Poor Oral Hygiene
Another one of the most common things that could lead to halitosis is bad oral hygiene. When you don’t brush and floss, visit the dentist for cleanings, and perform preventative dental care, it only makes sense that food particles and bacteria will flourish in your mouth. Plaque will start to form on your teeth and around your gum line. If the plaque is not removed, it will start to accumulate even more and turn into tartar. Aside from causing bad breath, this can also lead to cavities and gum disease.
If you wear dentures, not maintaining them correctly can also cause bad breath. Dentures can start to hold onto food particles and bacteria if they are not regularly cleaned, just like normal teeth. Additionally, your tongue can hold onto bacteria. If you don’t brush your tongue when you’re brushing your teeth, this bacteria can start to smell. For stubborn odors, you can even purchase a tongue scraper.
Dry Mouth
Did you know that the saliva in your mouth plays a specific role in maintaining oral hygiene and avoiding bad breath? Saliva helps get rid of food particles and other things that can lead to tooth decay and bad odors. However, dry mouth can stem the production of saliva. Dry mouth is a side effect of some types of medication, but it can also occur due to lifestyle factors like sleeping with your mouth open or smoking.
To deal with your dry mouth, you should start by visiting your dentist. They can help you determine the root cause of your dry mouth and ensure that it isn’t the result of something going on with your oral health. Persistent dry mouth has effects that go far beyond just bad breath—it can also lead to accelerated tooth decay and gum disease. By solving your dry mouth problem, you can also make sure that you don’t have premature tooth decay.
Contact Us Today
If you are tired of dealing with bad breath and want to make sure that your mouth stays healthy now and in the future, contact Smilestone Dental. We offer dental services in downtown Vancouver and provide individualized treatment plans designed to help address all of your oral care needs. To schedule your appointment, call us today at 604-423-4190.
