Halitosis (also known as bad breath) is sometimes not easy to get rid of with your normal brushing. While everyone experiences bad breath occasionally, those dealing with a more persistent issue can be desperate for a solution.
One way to get rid of bad breath is to find out what’s causing it in the first place. Here are 5 common causes of halitosis:
1. Poor Oral Hygiene
When you brush and floss your teeth, you remove unwanted bacteria and food particles from your mouth. The bacteria is known to release foul smells.
With poor oral hygiene, bad breath is the least of your concerns, as your risks for cavities and gum disease can increase tremendously.
2. Dental Issues
Tooth infections, cavities, and gum disease can all cause bad breath. In most cases, halitosis is one of the symptoms, and you can also experience:
- Pain
- Heightened sensitivity to heat and cold
- Abscess formation
- Mild gum bleeding, etc.
3. Dry Mouth
Saliva is actually a superstar when it comes to your oral health. It helps flush away unwanted bacteria and food particles and keep a balanced mouth environment. If you’re experiencing dry mouth, then halitosis will soon follow.
Lack of saliva can be caused by lots of things. For instance, when you go to sleep you naturally produce less saliva, which is actually why most people have bad breath in the morning.
Other causes can include:
- Smoking
- Having a cold and nasal congestion
- Certain diseases
- Issues with your salivary glands
4. Your Diet
Some foods are known to cause bad breath, such as onions or garlic. While the halitosis usually goes away once the food is digested, if you are known to eat such foods during all or most of your meals, you can experience persistent bad breath because of it.
It will usually go away if you slightly tweak your diet, however.
5. Medications or Diseases
Lastly, some health conditions and medications can also lead to bad breath, either because they reduce saliva production, or have some other mechanism that affects your breath.
For instance, those suffering from acid reflux or stomach issues will commonly experience halitosis and even a bad taste in their mouth.
Experiencing Bad Breath? It’s Time for an Appointment
Halitosis can be extremely frustrating, but before you completely change your toothpaste and mouthwash, consider coming into our Long Beach office for a consultation and even professional dental cleaning.
Even with a good at-home oral hygiene routine, it’s still very difficult for people to thoroughly clean their mouths. With professional tools and products, the dentist can help remove all unwanted particles, as well as inspect your teeth for any problems which may be causing the halitosis.
So if it’s time for an appointment, Dr. Emily Dodds and Dr. Dustin Dodds are happy to help in Long Beach!
Book a consultation at Dodds Dental online, or call us at (562) 439-0754.
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