Most common reasons behind bad breath

Among so many dental issues, one is the bad breath, which becomes a cause of embarrassment to so many people. The reasons could range from poor dental habits to other health issues. This problem occurring often is still not a major issue, but the frequent or persistent bad odor can cause several other issues.

What is bad breath?

Halitosis, also called bad breath, is one of the most common issues causing significant psychological distress. In fact, it is the third amongst the reasons to visit a dentist. Unpleasant odor also leads to tooth decaying and other gum diseases.

Many people try home remedies and changes in lifestyle like improved dental hygiene, but often, this helps. Thus, if bad breath remains persistent, visiting a doctor will be the best option.

What are the leading causes of bad breath?

As mentioned above, there can be various reasons for halitosis. Moreover, unhealthy food and a poor lifestyle can be an additional problem for this.

Effect of food on the bad breath: Generally, the food we eat gets broken down in the mouth itself. But there are few food items like onions and garlic, which cause a foul smell in the mouth and have their effect even after using brush, floss, and mouthwash. The odor can persist as long as this food remains in the body.

Effect of poor dental hygiene: First of all, absence of brushing and flossing can cause the food particles to remain in the mouth, inviting bacteria between the teeth and around the gum line. This growth of bacteria also promotes terrible breath. For this, you can get antibacterial mouth rinses to help reduce the effect.

In addition to this, habits like smoking or eating tobacco-based products can also cause bad breath and stained teeth, further reducing the ability to taste foods and irritation in the gums.

Effect of medications: It may sound strange, but the fact is certain drugs lead to a reduction of saliva and thus increasing the odor. Other medications release chemicals that mix with the breath. Examples of such medications are chemotherapy chemicals and tranquilizers.

Effect of water: Dry mouth can be a big problem. So, you must understand that drinking lots of water is necessary to hydrate the body throughout the day to fight the bad breath. This is because when the body receives lots of water, it washes away the odor creating bacteria accumulated in the mouth.

Effect of diseases: Bad odor can also be related to a few stomach problems. So, whether you are following proper dental hygiene, or having regular dental visits, you can still have halitosis if the problem persists in your stomach.

Hence, It may be the overgrowth of bacteria in your stomach that is causing the issue in the mouth, or diabetic patients may also have a broken balance of bacteria in their body, causing the issue.

In conclusion, there can be various reasons for halitosis, and you should visit the doctor if you find a persistent bad breath. The doctor will assess and guide for further steps.

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