Halitosis or bad breath means foul-smelling breath. It can put you in embarrassing situations and affects your friendships and relationships. There are many causes of bad breath. Detecting and treating the underlying cause helps you get rid of bad breath.
Sometimes, your breath may smell bad due to minor issues like poor oral hygiene, while at times, diseases like cirrhosis may be the cause. So if your bad breath does not go away, it is essential to see a dentist to detect the underlying cause. You can visit a Dentist in Karachi.
What Causes Bad Breath?
Many causes can contribute to bad breath, such as:
Food
Some food items like garlic, onions, or cabbage can cause bad breath. After digestion, these foods circulate in your blood and exit through your breath, giving it a foul odor. Also, the buildup of tiny food particles in your mouth provides bacteria nourishment, allowing them to grow. These bacteria cause bad breath.
Smoking
Cigarette smoking leaves your mouth dry, which causes bad breath. Moreover, the smell of cigarettes makes your breath bad.
Smoking is also a cause of gum disease, which can compromise the health of your oral cavity, leading to bad breath.
Dry Mouth
Your saliva is your friend in preventing bad breath. It washes away and kills the bacteria, keeping your mouth clean. When your mouth goes dry, it can lead to bad breath. It is a dry mouth that makes your breath foul-smelling when you wake up in the morning.
Xerostomia is the term doctors use for dry mouth. It can occur if there is some problem with your salivary glands or in some health conditions like Sjögren’s syndrome.
Poor oral hygiene
If you do not brush your teeth twice daily or if your brushing technique is ineffective, it can cause bad breath. You may be feeling lazy and think of skipping brushing your teeth before going to bed. But lack of proper brushing gives bacteria in your mouth the opportunity to feed on those food particles and grow. Bacteria form a sticky film on your teeth, known as plaque. If plaque is not removed and treated, it can form hard deposits called tartar. To remove tartar, you will need to visit your dentist and get a scaling done.
Throat Infections
Sometimes, bad breath comes from somewhere other than the mouth. Infections in the throat like a peritonsillar abscess (Quinsy) can cause bad breath.
Sometimes, bacteria and food particles mix up and form hard stones in your tonsils, known as tonsilloliths, which become a source of bad breath.
Liver Disease
Cirrhosis- when your liver can not perform its normal function cause halitosis. Bad breath due to liver disease is called Fetor hepaticus. When your liver can not filter harmful substances, sulfur builds up in your blood and enters the breath via the lungs, which causes bad breath.
Tips to reduce bad breath
Some tips to keep bad breath away are:
- Brush your teeth twice a day for two minutes
- Use mouthwash twice a day
- Floss regularly
- Scrape your tongue
- Change your toothbrush every three months
- Quit smoking
- Avoid foods that make your breath bad
- Drink lots of water
- Visit your dentist regularly
Conclusion
Everyone is concerned about how their breath smells. If a bad breath does not go away, you should consult your doctor or dentist to make sure there is not a serious health condition causing it. You can consult the Best Dentist in Islamabad.
