We all have bad breath from time to time, if we’ve eaten something strong like onion or garlic, or if we’re unwell. However if you experience it all the time, this is called chronic halitosis and it could be a sign that you have a problem with your teeth or oral health.
If have bad breath, first drink plenty of water and chew minty sugar free gum, to make sure your mouth remains clean throughout the day. If that doesn’t do the trick, see if you can trace it back to a particular food. If your body is sensitive to the food then it won’t digest it as well and gasses can make your breath smell.
Stop smoking, or chewing tobacco, as this is a common cause of bad breath and very bad for the health and teeth. Smoking can discolour teeth, increase your chances of getting gum disease and developing mouth cancer, not to mention giving you bad breath, so it’s definitely one to stop!
Then look at your oral care routine and make sure that you are brushing and flossing at least twice a day and using a mouthwash to reduce bacteria. If you suffer from bad breath, consider carrying around a little travel toothbrush with you, so you can also brush teeth after meals or snacks. The aim is to remove all the food from on the teeth and in the mouth so that the bacteria don’t have anything to feed on. It’s the bacteria which causes the bad breath!
If you have followed all these steps and you are still suffering, then your bad breath could be caused by periodontitis or gum disease, a serious problem, which if left untreated can cause teeth to fall out. So if you have a bad taste in your mouth, and bad breath that you can’t get rid of, arrange a check-up with your dentist and they can tell you if you are suffering from gum disease and how to treat it.
Your dentist can also tell you if you are brushing properly and if there is food stuck in your teeth which could be causing bad breath, and offer suggestions for preventative dentistry which can help stop problems from developing.
If you go to the dentist and we rule out oral health problems, we will suggest that you go to the doctor, as bad breath can sometimes be caused by an underlying medical condition such as diabetes or kidney problems.
There’s no doubt that bad breath is an embarrassing problem, so take a trip to the dentist and get to the root of the problem, rather than masking the smell with mints and mouthwash. We’re here to help keep your mouth healthy and your teeth clean and sparkling, so make an appointment today.
