Bad breath is one of the most common oral illnesses. There are different reasons why you may develop halitosis, nevertheless, these reasons majorly boil down to having poor oral hygiene. Having bad breath (halitosis) can cause a lot of embarrassment. In fact, it may likely lead to low self-esteem and the ability not to express oneself freely. It is also the third major reason why people sought dental care. Research has proven that for every 1 in 4 dental visitations, a halitosis patient is present. Only in rare cases, halitosis (bad breathe) can’t be defeated. In other cases, simple home remedies and habits can help defeat halitosis (bad breath). We advise that if you have tried several home remedies, and it’s consistent, kindly contact us today.
Bad Breath (Halitosis): Treatment
Maintaining perfect oral hygiene has been the best method for defeating bad breaths. Perfect oral hygiene maintenance includes brushing with a fluoride contained toothpaste, flossing daily, and regular visitation to the dental clinic.
In other cases, your dentist may require you to use mouth to rinse your mouth. If there is the presence of gum disease, your dentist may require that you do a scaling and polishing procedure.
Moreso, in extreme cases of bad breath, you may be required to do an x-ray in order to inspect your nasal canal as well as your mouth, ear, and throat. If a scan reveals that there is the presence of an external object, you may be required to undergo surgery to take it out.
Possible Causes of bad breath
- Morning Breathe
This is not really bad breath per se, however, because your mouth has a seeming odor in the morning, you may consider this as bad breath. Your morning breath is as a result of the inactivity in your mouth while asleep. Bacteria would have liked up and played on the little debris in your mouth the night before. Night brushing actually plays a huge role in defeating morning breath. It is advised that you brush and floss your teeth regularly.
- Smoking
Ordinarily, cigarettes and the likes have a porous smell. They smell like a smoked piece of wood. When you smoke, you can’t avoid the smell of these substances in your mouth. If you are a habitual smoker, you would realize that even when you haven’t smoked, your mouth has that odor. In order to prevent this, we advise you to quit smoking and pay attention to your oral health.
- Food
The decomposition of food and particles stuck in the teeth can cause odors. In fact, some food like onion, garlic, ginger has its own kind of smell. It is advised that after eating, rinse your mouth properly, if possible brush or use a mouthwash. Of course, you should scale and polish your teeth twice a year. To do this, kindly contact us here.
- Xerostomia (Dry Mouth)
Saliva plays as a natural mouth cleanser. If the mouth is dry due to a certain disease, there are possibilities that an odor may occur. If you notice that your mouth is dry. Kindly contact us here for an online consultation.
- Dental Hygiene
Brushing and flossing help with the removal of food stuck within the teeth. If you do not maintain good dental hygiene, the food stuck in between your mouth may likely result in an odor. The build-up of plaque can irritate the gums and cause swelling in the mouth.
- Crash Diet
Fasting and low-carbohydrate eating programs can produce halitosis. This is due to the breakdown of fats producing chemicals called ketones. These ketones have a strong aroma.
- Drugs
Some medications have effects on saliva, if there is dry mouth, one should expect an odor. Examples of drugs that may affect the flow of your saliva include drugs containing nitrates, chemotherapy chemicals. Phenothiazines.
Symptoms
The specific odor of breath can vary depending on the cause of the problem. It is best to ask a close friend or relative to gauge your mouth odor, as it can be difficult to assess it yourself.
If no one is available, one way of checking the odor is to lick your wrist, leave it to dry, and then smell it. A bad smell on this area of the wrist is likely to suggest that you have halitosis.
Some individuals are concerned about their breath even though they may have little or no mouth odor. This condition is called halitophobia and can lead to obsessive mouth-cleansing behavior.
Home Remedies
- Maintaining a perfect oral hygiene
Maintaining perfect oral hygiene is no difficulty as it includes brushing your mouth at least twice a day, cleaning your tongue while brushing your mouth, brushing at an angulated form while using the roll method, flossing regularly, keeping your brush in an upright position, using of mouthwash, changing your toothbrush at least in two-three months and of course a twice visit dentist yearly.
- Denture
If you are a denture wearer, it is advised that you clean your dentures regularly in order to avoid the pile-up of food under the denture or on top of the false palate.
- Eat Healthily
Eat food that contains water. This would help to rinse your mouth. Fruits like oranges, watermelon, and cucumber. Also, avoid crash feeding.
- Avoid Dry Mouth
Keep the mouth hydrated. Drink plenty of water to maintain a healthy mouth. Also chewing gum or raking nonstick candies can help you go a long way.
If breath odor persists despite controlling these factors, it is recommended that an individual visits a doctor for further tests to rule out other conditions. To contact us kindly click here.
