Bad breath can be embarrassing and frustrating.
Some of the causes of bad breath include
- gum diseases
- tooth decay
- dirty tongue
- dry mouth
- Infections of the mouth
- Infections of implants
- oral cancer
- failed dental work
- smoking
If you are suffering from chronic bad breath despite repeated attempts to brush/floss/mouthwash, the most likely culprit is undiagnosed tooth decay.
HOW DOES TOOTH DECAY LEAD TO BAD BREATH?
Tooth decay results in tooth destruction and the creation of a hole(cavity) where food can pack and bacteria can multiply.This increases further the tooth destruction. This situation is made worse by the fact that these areas are difficult to clean and thus it gets even more gross and the bad breath worsens.
HOW DO YOU DEAL WITH BAD BREATH?
- First of all is to improve your oral hygiene, brush your teeth after every meal & remember to brush your tongue because it harbours so much bacteria and food remnants that it may on its own cause bad breath, floss to remove pieces of food stuck in between teeth and last but not least, use mouthwash or warm salty water as an alternative.
- If it still persists visit your dentist , your dentist will carry out an in depth examination to determine the exact cause of the bad breathe and will treat you accordingly
- If tooth decay is the cause of the bad breath, the dentist will clean the cavity completely removing all the stuck foods and decayed part of the tooth and in its place do a good dental filling
- Drink a lot of water, this keeps the mouth from getting dry and so reduces instances of bad breath due to dehydration.
- Take care of your dentures and retainers. Make sure they are properly cleaned after meals. The same to the mouth where it goes to .Make sure you have them replaced as soon as it is necessary because they as they age,they tend to become more porous and absorb a lot of moisture and giving off a bad smell which comes off as bad breath.
- If you have any wounds or sores in your mouth that are taking long to heal make sure you see a dentist for a prompt diagnosis and treatment since some of these could be early signs of cancer of the mouth.
- Quit habits such as smoking because they interfere with the body’s defence against tooth decay and this ultimately leads to bad breath. Also the toxins in the cigarette react with oral tissues giving it a distinct pungent smell.
