Halitosis is the medical term used to refer to the unpleasant smell that comes from your breath and affects millions of people out there. It is, in most cases, a short-live issue brought on by certain foods, but it may also be a sign of a serious illness. To dentists and hygienists, knowing why people have malodor and how to help them eliminate it can enhance their clients’ health and self-esteem.
What Causes Bad Breath?
Halitosis may be a result of inadequate oral care or a variety of diseases. Here are some of the most common factors:
Poor Oral Hygiene
Failing to brush and flossing helps bacteria in the mouth and results in food particles accumulating and causing breath odor. Gum diseases and other accumulations of matter in the oral cavity, like plaque on teeth and on the tongue also cause bad breath.
Food and Drink
Garlic, onions, other strong aromatic foods as well as spicy foods produce temporary bad breath because the odor gets into the bloodstream and after getting to the lungs, comes out through the mouth. Alcohol and coffee also stay behind because they emit intense fragrances that cling to furniture.
Dry Mouth
Spit acts as an important factor since it has—it helps to wash food particles and bacteria. If the mouth is dry, this may be as a result of taking some medications or breathing through the mouth, or you are facing a condition of lack of water in the body, halitosis may occur.
Tobacco Use
Tobacco smoking and use of chewing tobacco causes bad breath and can also lead to gum diseases making the situation worse.
Medical Conditions
Some diseases include gum disease, respiratory infections, acid reflux, and sinusitis can cause chronic bad breath. Only in some incredibly rare cases do diseases like diabetes, liver or kidney disorders give rise to varying breath smells.
Dental Problems
Oral diseases, such as cavities, infected teeth, or poorly adjusted dental appliances, such as dentures, can also mechanically help food and bacteria stay in the mouth causing bad breath. For a checkup, you can consult a dentist in Karachi.
Preventing and Curing Bad Breath
The good thing is that unpleasant breath can often be prevented by practicing good oral hygiene and changing one’s daily habits. Here are some effective strategies:
Practice Good Oral Hygiene
Closely guard your teeth and use a fluoride toothpaste to brush your teeth after every meal, at least two times a day. You might also use floss regularly to clear between teeth and remove any deposit that might be leftover food bits. Rinse your mouth with an antibacterial wash to destroy bacteria as well as help give you a good breath. Additionally, do not forget to clean your tongue with a tongue scraper since bacteria build up at the back of the tongue leading to mouth odor.
Stay Hydrated
The act of drinking sufficient water keeps the mouth moist and denies food the chances to deposit beneath the gum and the teeth. Chewing sugar-free gum also helps wash the mouth through saliva secretion which is the body’s natural mechanism of cleaning the mouth.
Watch Your Diet
Avoid foods that you know will produce a smell, including garlic, onions, and spicy foods. Select those foods that do not lead to breathlessness; rather go for such foods as apples, carrots and cabbages as they have an ability to clean the teeth naturally. Also limit coffee, alcohol, sweets or anything that causes your mouth to become dry as bacteria feeds on saliva.
Quit Smoking and Tobacco Use
Not only is tobacco a stain builder and results in foul breath but also it contributes to gum disease and oral cancer. It’s very important that you quit smoking because it can greatly affect your oral health and even your breathing.
Regular Dental Checkups
Regular dental checkup should be at least every six months with the dental professional. It helps keep oral disease that results into the production of foul smell in control including gum diseases, cavities, and infections.
Address Medical Conditions
But if these practices are followed strictly it is wise to seek medical attention as sometimes breath could be as a result of a medical condition. See your doctor or dentist to get rid of any other problem that might be causing the condition.
Conclusion
Halitosis, though an inconvenience, is not an unresolvable problem. To avoid having bad breath means ensuring that you brush your teeth, take the correct meal and drinks, take water and ensure you visit a dentist regularly. Continuation of the symptoms requires a visit to a doctor so that he or she finds out the root cause.
