Curing Bad Breath

Halitosis treatment…this is likely not the first time you have ever thought about bad breath, medically termed halitosis. Whether it’s a stranger, the person sitting next to you on the plane, a significant other or yourself, bad breath encounters can be not only embarrassing but in some cases cause anxiety.

Bad breath is caused by a variety of things including gum disease, tartar, something in the lungs or gastrointestinal tract, a sinus infection or simply the food you ate. In any case, here are some regular habits to employ that will work to freshen your breath and act as halitosis treatment.

Practice good oral hygiene. brush your teeth at least twice a day, floss at least once a day, and remember to brush your tongue.

Say no to tobacco. Tobacco products cause a nasty odor in the mouth. Smoking also increases the chances of gum disease and infection, which is also linked to bad breath.

Drink lots of water. Keeping your mouth moist will improve your breath. Having a dry mouth means low levels of saliva, and because saliva helps to clean bacteria from your mouth, maintaining saliva levels is important. Chewing gum and sucking on candy also stimulates saliva production.

Stay away from certain foods that cause bad breath. These include onions, garlic, spices, and others. The breakdown of food in your mouth and around your teeth creates bacteria, which can produce a bad odor.

Visit your dentist regularly. Your dentist will be able to clean off any tartar buildup and be able to detect or counteract gum diseases or other health problems that may be causing bad breath.

Tadros Dental can provide patients with Halitosis Treatment.

What causes bad breath?

LET’S JUST SAY IT… bad breath is unpleasant. And yet we’ve all suffered from it. Sometimes, however, it’s worse than others. You may wonder, what causes bad breath? And perhaps more importantly, what is the best way to prevent it?

Bad breath, or halitosis, can be caused by a number of things. Here are some reasons your breath may not be as fresh as you’d like:
Good Oral Hygiene Makes All The Difference. If you don’t brush and floss every day, food stays in your mouth and collects bacteria. This bacteria causes bad breath. On top of that, food that remains in your mouth and in between your teeth will begin to rot and smell bad.

Brush and floss regularly and go to your biannual dental cleanings (or more, as directed). As bacteria that causes bad breath often congregates on the back of your tongue, make the tongue scraper your best friend!

Certain Foods Make Breath Worse Than Others. Watch out for foods such as garlic, onions, cheese, and soda, as they can be a major cause of unpleasant breath. Once the food is absorbed into the bloodstream, it’s transferred to the lungs where it is expelled through your breath. Thus, foods with strong tastes or odors, like the ones mentioned above, can stick around longer than you’d like.

Consumption of tobacco products can also cause severe halitosis. If you use tobacco, ask us for assistance in helping you quit.

Bad Breath Can Be Linked To A Medical Disorder. Our oral health is strongly connected to other health conditions. In fact, bad breath could be the first sign of a medical disorder. Severe and persistent halitosis is a major symptom of dental diseases such as gum disease and cavities. Other maladies can negatively affect our breath as well such as diabetes, sinus infections, and liver or kidney ailments.

What’s Up With Morning Breath? Morning breath seems to be an especially pungent offender. Morning breath gets to be so bad mainly because of dry mouth. During the day, saliva works to wash away food debris and keep bacteria in check.

When we sleep at night, our saliva production goes down, causing our mouths to become drier and allowing bacteria to proliferate. Many people sleep with their mouths open as well, which can make dry mouth even worse.

Here’s what you can do to make your morning breath a little less offensive:

Clean your teeth before bed. This is a given! The fewer food bacteria have to munch on, the less odorous your mouth will be in the morning.

Keep water by the bed. When you wake up during the night, take a drink of water. Keeping your mouth moist will combat the spread of those smelly bacteria.