Tips to Help You Keep Bad Breath Away

Tips to Help You Keep Bad Breath Away

Nov 01, 2019

Overview

Halitosis is the medical term given to bad breath. From time to time, we all get to experience it, but a simple effort to brush, floss and rinse fixes it. However, for the unlucky few, the problem persists and thus the need for extra measures to solve the problem. It is estimated that 1 in 4 people is affected by bad breath all around the world. The unpleasant odor is usually formed when food particles remaining in the mouth breakdown and start to release sulfur compounds.

Bad breath symptoms vary in degree, but in all situations, the key indicator is a foul smell from the mouth that will not go away despite maintaining good hygiene. If you are not sure whether you are suffering from halitosis, a consultation with our dentist in phoenix, 85015, will help you figure it out.

Causes of Bad Breath

Halitosis is often caused by poor oral hygiene. However, when cleaning your teeth still doesn’t fix the problem, there could be an underlying issue.

  • Dental problems – Issues like cavities and gum disease create spaces in between your teeth where regular cleaning methods cannot reach. This leaves room for bacteria to hide, leaving you with a bad breath despite brushing and flossing regularly.
  • Mouth, nose and throat infections – Since bacteria thrives on mucus produced by the body, infections of the nose, throat or mouth that encourage postnasal drip can contribute to bad breath. Tonsils is also a culprit of bad breath since it causes small stones covered with bacteria to form at the throat, leading to bad odor.
  • Dry mouth – If you are using medications or suffering from a condition that makes your mouth dry, it is likely you will have a bad breath. This is because saliva plays a significant role in ensuring all food particles are washed down to the digestive tract. Its alkaline nature also helps reduce acidity in the mouth, making it difficult for bacteria to survive. Other factors contributing to a dry mouth include alcohol, tobacco and caffeine use.
  • Underlying chronic conditions – This may include gastric reflux, diabetes, kidney disease, cancer and liver problems. These conditions could cause bad breath maybe by affecting how the body metabolism works, or due to the associated medications or their accompanying symptoms.

Tips to fight bad breath

For mild halitosis, simple home remedies for bad breath can be effective. However, in some situations, you may need to adjust your lifestyle choices and also treat the underlying cause. Some of the tips that can help you avoid bad breath include:

Brush, floss and Rinse daily

When you regularly clean your teeth and mouth, you are eliminating conditions in which bacteria can thrive start to form bad breath. Make sure to brush, floss and rinse with a good mouthwash every day. Your dentist can prescribe an antibacterial toothpaste or mouth-rinse to help fight off bacteria.

Stay hydrated

Drinking adequate amount of water will ensure you produce enough saliva, and therefore continue to enjoy its antibacterial properties. Making clever food choices will also contribute in your dental health. So, besides drinking 6 to 8 glasses of water daily, check on what you eat.

Stay-up-to date with dental appointments

Regular check-ups will help you catch any dental issues in good time, and allow them get treated before they grow out of control and start affect your breath. Also, if the underlying cause of bad breath is not a dental issue, a dentist can refer you to get additional tests to determine the underlying issue and have it corrected. It is also important to get your teeth cleaned professionally every once in a while.

Quit smoking and drinking

Besides their leaving behind their own smell in your breath, alcohol and tobacco tend to dry your mouth. and since saliva contributes in keeping the bacteria at bay, this may be a good reason to quit.

Other practices to help you deal with bad breath may include chewing sugar-free gums, using an alcohol-free mouthwash and replacing your toothbrush every 3 months. You can visit our family dentist in Phoenix to learn more about bad breath cure. We strive to provide quality and effective bad breath treatment in Phoenix, Arizona for all our patients.

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