Bad breath, also known as halitosis, can be embarrassing and, in some cases, even cause anxiety.
Bad breath, also known as halitosis, can be embarrassing and, in some cases, even cause anxiety. Not surprisingly, stores are stocked with gum, mints, mouthwashes, and other products designed to fight bad breath. However, many of these products are only temporary measures because they do not combat the cause of the problem.
Among the causes of bad breath, there are some foods, diseases and habits. In many cases, you can improve bad breath with consistent and proper dental hygiene. If simple self-care techniques don't solve the problem, check with your dentist or doctor to make sure a more serious illness isn't the cause of bad breath.
Symptoms
Bad breath varies depending on the source or undiagnosed cause. Some people worry too much about bad breath, even if they have little or no odor in their mouth, while other people have bad breath and don't know it. Since it is difficult to assess your own breath, ask a close friend or relative to answer your questions about bad breath.
When to see the doctor
If you have bad breath, check your oral hygiene habits. Try making changes to your lifestyle, such as brushing your teeth and tongue after eating, flossing, and drinking lots of water.
If your bad breath continues after making these changes, see your dentist. If your dentist suspects that a more serious condition is causing your bad breath, he or she may refer you to a doctor to find the cause of the odor.
Causes
Most cases of bad breath start in the mouth, and there are several possible causes. Some of them are:
º Foods. The breakdown of food particles on and around your teeth can increase the number of bacteria and cause an unpleasant odor. Eating certain foods, such as onions, garlic, and spices, can also cause bad breath. After being digested, food enters the bloodstream, is transported to the lungs, and affects breath.
º Tobacco products. Smoking causes its own unpleasant smell in the mouth. Smokers and those who use tobacco are more likely to have diseased gums, another source of bad breath.
º Poor oral hygiene If you don't brush and floss your teeth on a daily basis, there will be particles left in your mouth, causing bad breath. A colorless, sticky film formed by bacteria (plaque) forms on the teeth. If not brushed, plaque irritates the gums and eventually forms plaque-filled pockets between the teeth and gums (periodontitis). The tongue can also trap odor-producing bacteria. Dentures that are not cleaned regularly or do not fit properly can remain odor-causing bacteria and food particles.
º Dry mouth. Saliva helps with cleaning the mouth by removing odor-causing particles. There is a disease called 'dry mouth' or xerostomia that contributes to bad breath, since it reduces the production of saliva. Dry mouth occurs naturally during sleep and is responsible for bad breath in the morning, which is worse if you sleep with your mouth open. If dry mouth is chronic, it may be caused by salivary gland problems and some diseases.
º Medicines. Some medications contribute to dry mouth and therefore indirectly cause bad breath. Others break down in the body and release chemicals that are carried into the breath.
º Infections in the mouth. Bad breath can be caused by surgical wounds after oral surgery, such as a tooth extraction, or because you have cavities, gum disease, or mouth sores.
º Other conditions of the mouth, nose and throat. Sometimes the origin of bad breath can be small stones that form on the tonsils and become covered with bacteria, which produces odor. Also infections or chronic inflammation in the nose, sinuses, or throat, which contribute to post nasal drip, can cause bad breath.
º Other causes. As a result of the chemicals they produce, diseases such as some cancers and conditions such as metabolic disorders can cause distinctive odorous breath. Chronic reflux of stomach acids (gastroesophageal reflux or GERD) can be associated with bad breath. In young children, bad breath can be caused by a foreign body, such as a piece of food, lodged in one of the nostrils.
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