BAD BREATH: DOES IT TELL ANYTHING ABOUT YOUR HEALTH?

Speaking and interacting with someone who has poor oral health is one of the most uncomfortable social situations. If one has bad breath, it may be distracting to the people one is conversing with. Moreover, one will almost certainly gain a bad reputation.

Mint sprays and gums can temporarily cover bad breath after a meal. However, they are not an effective long-term therapy for people with persistent bad breath from the stomach. Bad breath is often known as halitosis and can result from several reasons. About 25 to 35 percent of the population suffers from this ailment. Treatment for this problem will vary depending on the cause for each individual.

Why Do People Have Bad Breath?

Oral microflora is the cause of bad breath. This microflora refers to the hundreds of bacteria that live in the mouth. Bacteria thrive in the warm, wet environment of the mouth. That bacterium gets to work after one eats, digesting any food particles left in the mouth and secretes waste known as volatile sulfur compounds. These compounds smell like rotten eggs and cause bad breath from the mouth.

The longer one waits to brush and floss to eliminate those food particles, the more likely the breath will be unpleasant. The back of the tongue is home to most bacteria that produce bad breath. 

Suppose one sticks out his tongue and looks at the back. In that case, one usually finds a white or brownish coating, an indication of the bacteria that cause bad breath. 

Reasons For Bad Breath

Here are some of the most common reasons for what causes bad breath from the mouth and ways to treat or cure it.

Poor Oral Hygiene

Dental germs cause bad breath in most people. Hence, maintaining good oral hygiene is essential to resolving the issue. There are two aspects to this: proper and regular daily home care. 

Taking Certain Medications

Some medications can also cause bad breath from the mouth. These drugs include nitrates, occasionally used to treat angina, a type of chest pain caused by a blockage in the heart's blood flow. Several chemotherapy medications and medical disorders such as dry mouth or xerostomia can induce poor breath.  

Dry Mouth

Dry mouth refers to a lack of salivary flow in the mouth. It permits oral bacteria to multiply quicker than usual, leading to halitosis. People can get dry mouth from certain types and medications, so consult the physician if this is the case. 

Mouth breathing can also cause a dry mouth. When there is restricted nasal breathing due to any cause, mouth breathing is nearly always the result. 

Some people can't breathe through their nose because of an anatomical obstruction, such as a deviated septum. In contrast, others suffer from allergies that prevent them from breathing correctly via their nose.

Eating Certain Foods 

Foods like onions and garlic will cause temporary bad breath. However, some people may be unable to digest certain foods properly, which can also be an underlying reason for halitosis. Smoking is a known cause of halitosis as well. The solution to this is to stop smoking. 

Medical Conditions

More serious medical conditions can result in halitosis. Examples are sinus or nasal infections, throat infections, lung infections, intestinal infections, diabetes, liver disease, kidney disease, and acid reflux or GERD (gastroesophageal reflux disease). 

You must keep all these things in check and use the correct oral health products. You can also take effective tips from the Wellness Forever website about ways to eliminate bad breath from the stomach.  

How to diagnose bad breath? 

The specific odor of breath can vary depending on the cause of the problem. It is behttps://www.wellnessforever.com/category/personal-care/oral-carest to ask a close friend or relative to gauge your mouth odor, as it can be difficult to assess independently. If no one is around, one can test the odor by licking his wrist, letting it dry, and then sniffing it to diagnose halitosis.

Suppose one's bad breath from the mouth is persistent and does not improve with regular dental hygiene, or one is experiencing other symptoms with it. Then immediately consult a doctor or dentist to determine the underlying problem.

What does a doctor do for bad breath?

A doctor or dentist will examine the mouth to look for signs of gum disease, dry mouth, and more infections that may cause bad breath. In most circumstances, the dentist can treat the reasons for bad breath.

But sometimes, the dentist concludes that the mouth is healthy and that bacteria is not causing the odor. In such cases, the dentist may refer the patient to a specialist to determine the odor source and treatment plan. If a gum disease causes the odor, a periodontist who specializes in gum disease treatment will treat you. In most cases, a good antiseptic mouthwash can help eliminate bacteria that cause bad breath from the mouth. Ask the dentist or shop at Wellness Forever to know what product works best for oral health.

How to get rid of bad breath?

Here are some ways you can get rid of bad breath.

• Brushing teeth: Brushing teeth for at least 2 minutes twice a day, in the morning and at night, is ideal for resolving the issue. An electric toothbrush is more successful than a manual toothbrush to remove teeth plaque
• Flossing: A Waterpik can be just as effective, if not more, than traditional flossing.
• Scraping and brushing the tongue: The tongue contains a lot of bacteria, so don't ignore it. When it comes to eradicating bacteria, a tongue scraper is usually more successful than a toothbrush.
• Antimicrobial oral rinses: Although not required, many people have had great success using mouthwashes like Listerine. It is also a product that has earned the American Dental Association's seal of acceptance.
• Regular annual dental checkups: Visit the dentist at least once every six months for dental hygiene. Tartar, also known as calculus, can only be removed by a trained dental hygienist and cannot be brushed away on its own. 

Halitosis is known to be caused by dental decay, gum disease such as gingivitis, and periodontal disease. Therefore see the dentist frequently.

Conclusion

Bad breath can be an indicator of underlying diseases. However, it is mostly due to poor hygiene. Maintaining proper oral hygiene is best for tackling bad breath.

For more guidance, learn from Wellness Forever blogs about oral health.