Yucks! My Breath Stinks: Is It Preventable, How Do I Get a Cure?

Jess has recently noticed a bad stinky odour from her mouth despite maintaining her usual oral hygiene habits. Since then she felt really embarrassed when talking in front of her friends and co-workers. Therefore, she paid a visit to her dentist to determine the root cause of her bad breath.

Bad breath (medical term halitosis), is something that a good brushing or breath mints cannot solve. Bad breath usually lingers for an extended amount of time and maybe a sign of an underlying problem. Studies have shown that up to 50% of adults have experienced bad breath at some point in their lives. This problem can certainly affect your daily life, especially when interacting with others. Thus, finding the cause of the bad breath is the first step to treat this preventable condition.

Causes of Bad Breath

There are many possible causes of bad breath. While many causes are usually not harmful, bad breath can sometimes be a sign of something more serious. Below are some common causes to the condition:

1. Foods and beverages

What you eat or drink affects your oral health, including your breath as what you consume, affects the air you exhale. Some common offenders include onions, garlic, certain spices and alcohol.

2. Dry mouth

Saliva plays an important role in good oral health. It works by cleansing and removing any debris inside the mouth. Insufficient saliva in the oral cavity can lead to bad breath. Dry mouth can be caused by certain medical problems, medications, tobacco use or excessive caffeine.

3. Oral diseases

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Oral health problems such as dental cavities and gum diseases provide bad breath bacteria places to hide in the oral cavity, thus leading to halitosis.

4. Smoking and tobacco

Tobacco products cause harm to the body and affect the mouth odour. Besides that, using tobacco also dries out the mouth and makes you more susceptible to oral diseases.

5. Medical conditions

If mouth infections have been ruled out, bad breath can be the result of other problems such as sinus condition, gastric reflux, diabetes, kidney or liver disease.

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Tips to Prevent and Treat Bad Breath

1. Good oral hygiene habit

Follow a healthy daily oral hygiene routine – brushing twice a day for 2 minutes and flossing between your teeth to get rid of the bacteria that is causing bad breath.

2. Mouthwash

Over-the-counter mouthwashes such as antiseptic mouthwash can help to kill bacteria and temporarily mask bad mouth odour. However, it is still more important to brush and floss away any food debris in your mouth to keep your breath fresh.

3. Keep your mouth moist

Drink more water and chew on sugar-free gums to keep saliva moving in your mouth if you do experience dry mouth.

4. Pay attention to your diet

Try to avoid foods and beverages that can lead to bad breath. Healthy foods that require a lot of chewing such as apples and carrots are good for cleansing the mouth. Avoid caffeine as it tends to dry out the mouth.

5. Clean your dentures

If you wear removable dentures, clean them thoroughly after meals and leave them out and soak the dentures at night.

Conclusion

If you are concerned about your mouth odour, consult a dentist to find out the possible cause. It is important to have regular check-ups and professional cleaning at the dental clinic. This allows the dentist to detect any early oral problems and treat them before they become more serious.

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Tags

• bad breath
• halitosis
• Oral Health