Do you struggle with bad breath? Foul breath odor, or halitosis, can put a real damper on your social life, your career and your self-esteem. Many people who have bad breath are too embarrassed to tell their dentist. They resort to carrying a stash of peppermints or gum in their pockets at all times or using breath spray before events. Sadly, this is only masking the problem or making it worse in some cases.
While you may not want to bring up your halitosis issues with your dentist, this is exactly the person you need to talk to. The majority of chronic bad breath cases can be traced back to a dental issue, such as the following:
Excessive Tongue Bacteria
Are you brushing your tongue when you brush twice a day? If not, you are missing billions of bacteria that love to live and breed in the soft, damp and grooved surface of your tongue. These bacteria produce foul-smelling sulfur compounds as the feed and breed.
Gum Disease
Bad breath odor is a common symptom of gum disease, which is an infection within the supporting tissues of your teeth. This typically begins when bacteria, food debris and plaque are left to accumulate along the gum line and tooth roots.
Abscess or Infection
Infections are known for smelling bad. An infection within your mouth is no different. Whether it is an infected tooth or a dental abscess, it may produce unwanted odors until it is treated.
Dry Mouth
Another common culprit to halitosis is dry mouth. We need our saliva to rinse away bacteria and neutralize the pH within our mouth. If you aren’t making enough spit, you are more likely to suffer from excessive oral bacteria, gum disease and decay – which can all cause bad breath.
Bad breath isn’t always within your control. Stress, hunger, hormonal changes, digestion, and metabolic dysfunction are just a few of the potential causes. However, a quick discussion and evaluation from your dentist may be all you need to conquer your bad breath for good. Call Basin Dentistry and schedule your appointment. You deserve a fresh and confident smile!
Posted on Behalf of Basin Dentistry