Bad breath also known as halitosis is an oral condition that is associated with unpleasant odor or taste on the mouth. The smell can come from your mouth or teeth and, this can be temporarily or chronic condition.
While using gums, mints and mouthwashes help getting rid of halitosis. They do so temporarily however, if you want to treat bad breath, you have to cure or treat its main cause.
All in all, you are more likely able to eliminate halitosis yourself at home but for chronic condition, you need dentist intervention. Book an Appointment with the dentist if you are experiencing recurring bad mouth smell even after brushing or flossing
Causes of Bad Breath
- Poor oral hygiene –failure to brush your teeth, floss and mouth rinse promote bacteria buildup in your mouth that attack you teeth to cause gum disease, and cavities- the main causes for bad breath
- Gum disease – If you have bad breath that do not go away even after brushing; you might have a Periodontal disease, an advance form of gum disease or other underlying health issues.
- Decayed, cracked or crowded teeth – these harbors bacteria and dead cells that produces foul smell. And these areas are hard to clean unless treated by the dentist.
- Dry mouth – When saliva that helps fight bacteria is dry due to some medication or sleeping with mouth open or not drinking enough water leads to dry mouth which in its own sense cause the mouth to smell badly
- Some foods– eating some foods such as garlic , onion, or spicy food can cause dreadful smell
- Smoking or chewing tobacco – these habits dries mouth and hinders gum disease to cure quickly creating a favorable environment for bacteria producing odor to multiply making the halitosis more badly.
- Dirty dentures, retainers, mouth guards -if you wear dentures, retainers or mouth guard and forget to clean them on daily basis might results in awful smell coming out of your mouth.
How to get rid of Bad Breath?
- Brush your teeth and gums for 2 minutes twice a day and remember to change the brush head every three to four mouth to get rid of the accumulated bacteria.
- Floss your teeth at least once a day and mouth rinse with mouthwash to remove food particles on the teeth, between teeth and, in the tongue
- Brush or scrape your tongue to remove white spots (layer of bacteria that might result into bad odor)
- Stay hydrated – Drink enough water to help get rid of dry mouth and keep saliva production sufficient. Saliva protects your mouth from awful smell naturally.
- Quit smoking and reduce intake of soft drinks and alcohol as they contribute to dry mouth, a thriving place for viruses
- If you wear dentures ,bridges, dental retainer or mouth guard remember to clean them thoroughly as instructed by your dentist
- Reduce intake of sugary and starch foods as they cause the mouth and body at large overly acidic attracting bacteria to multiply quickly
- Book dentist appointment for checkup to examine the main cause of your bad breath and get suitable treatment
- Oil pulling –swishing one tablespoon of coconut oil for 20 minutes daily, early in the morning on empty stomach helps get rid of bad breath
What causes bad breath even after brushing?
If you are experiencing bad taste even after brushing or flossing, it might be because of some other underlying problems such as:
- Gum disease
- Tooth Decay
- Rotten teeth and
- Other chronic disease such as Diabetic
In this case, consult your dentist for further examination to rule out what makes your mouth smell bad.
References:
https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/bad-breath/symptoms-causes/syc-20350922
https://www.mouthhealthy.org/en/az-topics/b/bad-breath
https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/166636.php
https://www.medicinenet.com/bad_breath/article.htm#what_is_the_prognosis_for_people_with_halitosis
https://www.jnj.com/health-and-wellness/surprising-causes-of-bad-breath
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Dr. Tom Bell has a PhD in Medical Anthropology. He has a keen interest in oral health topics and is the founder of dentalrave. He has been an oral health researcher and electric toothbrush enthusiast for over 10 years. Tom works with Awin and others in his research. When not talking about dental hygiene and gadgets, Tom likes spending time outdoors hiking.