Bad Breath – Causes And Cure.

Bad breath is a common
problem that can affect anyone at any age. It
affects most people at some point, and it’s
estimated that about 1 in 4 people has bad
breath on a regular basis.

The medical name for bad breath is halitosis.
What causes bad breath?

Bad breath can have a number of possible
causes, but it’s usually the result of poor oral
hygiene. If bacteria build up in a person’s
mouth, it can cause their breath to smell.

Bacteria break down pieces of food in the
mouth, releasing unpleasant smelling gas. Any
food trapped in your teeth will be broken down
by bacteria, causing bad breath.
Persistent bad breath can sometimes be a sign
of gum disease.

Eating strongly flavoured foods, such as onions
and garlic, can often cause your breath to
smell, as well as smoking and drinking a lot of
alcohol.

Bad breath can occasionally occur following an
infection or illness, or as a result of taking
certain types of medication.

Treating and preventing bad breath
Improving oral hygiene is usually enough to
cure bad breath and prevent it recurring.

Your dentist can advise on how to improve your
oral health and will recommend you:

1. Regularly brush your teeth and gums

2. Floss in between your teeth

3. keep your tongue clean
When to see your dentist
See your dentist if you still have bad breath
after making changes to your dental hygiene
routine. There may be a medical cause that
needs further investigation.

Try not to hide the smell of your breath
before visiting your dentist because it will make
it more difficult to find out what is causing the
problem.

Do I have bad breath?
It is not always easy to tell if you have bad
breath. It is likely other people will notice it first
and they may find it difficult to tell you.

A simple test to find out whether you have bad
breath is to lick the inside of your wrist with the
back of your tongue and wait for a few seconds
until the saliva dries. If your wrist smells
unpleasant it is likely your breath does too.