Bad breath or Halitosis is a problem for many people. Everyone will suffer from bad breath at some point in their lives, but what causes it? And how can it be avoided?
It’s very embarrassing when someone makes a comment about your breath. It’s not easy to tell how your breath smells, so the first time you find out you’ve got bad breath is usually when someone makes a subtle (or not so subtle) hint about your breath. The reason that we don’t have a strong sense of our own breath is related to the internal construction of our oral cavity. Our nose filters out background smells, so it often ignores the odour of our own breath. This is how it’s perfectly possible that you have halitosis but you don’t know it.
Bad breath is caused by a type of bacteria that grows in your mouth. If you don’t regularly maintain good dental hygiene, then tiny bits of food get trapped in your teeth. Over time, bacteria grows on the bits of food and they give of s sulfur compound that causes bad breath.
Some food types can add to bad breath, but smoking is one of the major causes of chronic halitosis. Gum disease known as gingivitis can also cause bad breath, furthermore, some stomach, liver, kidney, bowel and lung problems can also cause bad oral odour. Food that has not been properly digested or food reflux can also cause bad breath.
In order to combat bad breath you should brush your teeth at least twice a day using a good brand of toothpaste. In order to prevent gum disease, you should gently brush the gums as well as the teeth. Don’t forget to brush your tongue too; bad breath bacteria can grow there. You can buy a separate tongue cleaner or scraper for this, although some toothbrushes are fitted with a tongue cleaner on the reverse side of the brush.
Don’t forget to use dental floss, because regularly flossing can help to remove the food that has become trapped between your teeth. If it’s possible, use a toothpick after meals where food is likely to get caught in your teeth. You should also brush your teeth after eating spicy foods or dairy products.
If you already have bad breath reduce the amount of meat that you eat and substitute more healthy fruit and vegetable options. Increase your fluid intake, but try not to drink too much coffee or caffeinated beverages. If you can avoid smoking or the use of tobacco or alcohol, you can help yourself to avoid further bad breath problems. Don’t be fooled into thinking that you can cover up your bad breath with a good mouthwash or chewing gum!
To maintain good oral hygiene, you should visit your dentist twice per year, but if you think that you are having bad breath problems due to gum or teeth problems, you should visit your dentist outside of your normal dental visits to stop the problem from getting worse.
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Tags: bad breath, halitosis
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