It’s embarrassing when someone tells you that you have bad breath. Even if you hide your embarrassment and chew on a mint with pride, you still need to worry about your problem as it could be an indicator of some other major problem, such as gum disease or a respiratory tract infection.
What causes bad breath and how to prevent it?
Bad breath problems can occur from different sources such as the mouth, upper respiratory tract, the lungs, and the stomach.
Below, you will learn different causes of bad breath. In addition, you’ll also read about how to prevent it in each of these cases.
1- Tooth Decay is the major cause of bad breath
The mouth is the main area where bad breath occurs and can be caused by many structures within the cavity such as the teeth, gums and tongue.
Tooth decay is dead decayed matter and it provides an anaerobic environment creating sulfur metabolizing germs which cause bad smells. This soft decay matter readily absorbs liquids and juices from consumed food and this food also decays.
How to prevent bad breath due to tooth decay?
With or without decay oral hygiene maintenance is important because plaque caused by bacteria and food particles accumulate on and around the tooth but can be improved by brushing and flossing on a daily basis.
Despite improving oral hygiene, you may not be able to fight tooth decay without professional help. Be sure to see your doctor for professional advice and treatment of this problem.
2- Problems with gums could also result in bad breath
The gums are another area of concern when bad breath is involved. Healthy gums are not prone to bacteria or bad breath since they are maintained properly.
Unhealthy gums caused by bad oral hygiene cause a great portion of bacteria gather rotting the bone and gums causing periodontal disease. This bad odor is immediately recognizable and treating periodontal disease is a fairly simple procedure which can be done at the dental office.
Solution for bad breath caused by unhealthy gums
Professional cleanings performed at the dental office stop the disease from spreading and worsening.
Periodontal disease can also be caused by impacted wisdom teeth because the area between the gums and crown of the tooth is open and an overgrowth of anaerobic bacteria occurs causing infection of the gums.
3- Bad breath could be due to unhygienic tongue
The tongue is another major source of bad breath. The tongue is composed of filliform papillae and these hair-like projections are healthy when they appear pink. Papillae grow up to a specific length and then break off causing a shedding effect that happens mostly on the anterior part of the tongue due to constant movement and contact with teeth.
Filliform papillae are located towards the back of the tongue and tend to grow longer and do not break off as easily. This area also gets stained by different foods and will retain the odors.
How to prevent bad breath by cleaning your tongue?
A solution for this is to use a tongue scraper in the morning and at night.
Tongue scraping really works and removes visible material which causes bad breath. Using a tongue scraper and scraping vigorously will remove build up and bad odors.
Hydrogen peroxide solutions will also eliminate these odors after tongue scraping because the hydrogen peroxide liberates oxygen molecules in the mouth and will remove the chemical compounds responsible for bad breath.
Don’t forget to meet your dentist
Bad breath is not a condition to disregard but one to pay immediate attention to since its effects can be dangerous to your health. Periodontal disease has serious side effects since bacteria gets ingested and can lead to other serious problems associated with the lungs and stomach. Regular dental cleanings and examinations at 7 Day Dental can help you achieve the best results.
Bad Breath Problems? We can help…Schedule Your Appointment Online Here!
Dr. Chuck Le
7 Day Dental Owner
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