Smile with Confidence: A Comprehensive Guide to Dental Health and Care

What is Halitosis?

Someone once said that half of a relationship involves tolerating bad breath. Perhaps this is true, but what happens when your partner decides your bad breath isn’t worth tolerating? If you’re someone who suffers from bad breath, or ‘halitosis,’ especially if it’s chronic, you’ve probably explored solutions. Unfortunately, the various gums and mints available typically only address the symptoms of bad breath. As with any other health problem, if you get to the bottom of why you suffer from bad breath, you’re more likely to find a resolution of the problem. No one need suffer from chronic bad breath. Following is information on some of the most common causes of bad breath, as well as tips for preventing or even eliminating it.

Diet

Not surprisingly, a major cause of bad breath is poor nutrition. Eating (or overeating) too many foods that can lead to gastrointestinal issues can cause bad breath, especially if this kind of eating continues for long periods of time. Try to include foods that are rich in vitamins and minerals in your diet in order to stave off health problems that involve the stomach. It’s also important to eat crunchy raw vegetables because they help to remove bad bacteria in your mouth that can lead to plaque and gingivitis. But that’s not all. Bad breath can even be caused by eating foods that are good for you, such as garlic and onions. For times when you eat these foods, it is a good idea to maintain a healthy oral hygiene regimen, and to keep gum and breathe mints on hand.

Dry mouth

Saliva is an important part of your mouth because it helps to wash away bad bacteria that can lead to gum disease and tooth decay, which can in turn lead to bad breath. If you’re someone who suffers from dry mouth, it’s vital that you keep your mouth well hydrated throughout the day. Though your medications may be doing you good in other ways, some of them can also cause dry mouth. Drink enough water and other healthy liquids throughout the day, and always carry sugarless gum or sugarless candy with you to remedy the effects of dry mouth.

Poor dental care

Naturally, one of the biggest culprits of bad breath is poor dental care. Often, all that it takes to keep your breath smelling fresh is to maintain proper daily oral hygiene habits. Brushing twice daily, flossing at least once daily, and gargling with antiseptic mouthwash can help to remove bad bacteria that collect on teeth and gums. This will also help to stave off dental diseases such as periodontitis that can contribute to malodorous breath. Additionally, it’s vital to visit your dentist twice a year to keep teeth in their best shape possible.

Tobacco products

Smoking cigarettes, cigars, or pipes, as well as using smokeless tobacco products such as dip, snuff, or chewing tobacco, are all contributing factors to halitosis. First, these products can rob the mouth of vital saliva needed to wash away nasty bacteria. Additionally, tobacco products contribute to an increased risk of certain health conditions such as periodontal disease and mouth and throat cancers. If you’re a smoker, try a smoking cessation program to reduce bad breath as well as the risk of developing oral cancer. In addition, it’s important that you see your family dentist twice a year in order to prevent and/or detect diseases of the mouth.

Disease conditions

Certain medical conditions can contribute to bad breath. For instance, upper respiratory infections, acid reflux, throat infections, bronchitis, persistent nasal discharge into the throat, uncontrolled diabetes, and lung abscesses have all been linked to chronic halitosis. Liver and kidney disease can also produce malodorous breath. If you’re experiencing symptoms, contact your doctor to schedule an examination.

A lot of jokes have been made about halitosis over the years, but if you’re someone who suffers with chronic bad breath, you’re probably not laughing. Naturally, no one wants to be the guy or girl who’s made fun of because of their bad breath. Thankfully, there are solutions. However, if you don’t find the underlying cause of your bad breath, you can chew minty gum and eat breath mints until you have them coming out of your ears, and you’re still going to suffer from the effects of halitosis. If you’ve tried some of the various methods of eliminating bad breath and you’re still afflicted with it, consider contacting a top dentist neighborhood who can help you find the solution once and for all.