Bad breath is a condition that many people face, and it affects about 31.8% of the global population. While there can be several causes of bad breath, poor oral hygiene is the most common. Another name for bad breath is halitosis, and its treatment depends on the underlying cause.
If you’re also affected by this condition, you may experience embarrassment, low self-confidence, anxiety, and excessive worry. But fret not! Bad breath is quite easy to treat.
Keep scrolling to learn about the causes of bad breath (halitosis) and how to treat bad breath.
What is Halitosis (Bad Breath)?
Everybody tends to experience bad breath at some point in life or after eating certain foods like garlic and onion. However, persistent bad breath (chronic halitosis) may signify a dental health issue or an illness affecting another body part.
Bad breath (halitosis) can indicate a wide range of diseases. It’s like your body is sending you a warning signal. The first step in treating halitosis is identifying the condition’s underlying cause.
Causes of Bad breath
The following are the causes of bad breath:
- Poor Oral Hygiene
Poor oral hygiene is among the most common causes of bad breath. Harmful bacteria infect your mouth and grow out of control if you don’t practice good oral hygiene, which includes brushing, flossing, and regular dental cleanings. Gum disease, cavities, and halitosis are a few of the oral health problems resulting from this.
- Certain Foods
Your breath and oral health are both impacted by what you consume. Food is absorbed into your bloodstream, affecting your breath until it leaves your body.
- Dry Mouth
Since saliva helps to cleanse your mouth, a lack of saliva production can cause bad breath. Smoking can lead to dry mouth & raises your chance of developing gum disease. Additionally, certain medicines can also cause dry mouth.
- Drugs
Some drugs can decrease saliva production, which causes bad breath. As other medications break down and release substances into the breath, they might emit scents.
When vitamin supplements are taken in large doses, nitrates are used to treat angina, and certain chemotherapeutic compounds and some tranquillizers like phenothiazines make you more susceptible to bad breath.
- Gum Disease
Due to gum disease (gingivitis), your gums become red, inflamed, and may even bleed. It can also be a cause of bad breath.
- Health Condition
Health conditions like diabetes, respiratory infections, gastric issues, sinus infections, etc., can also cause halitosis.
Treatment of Bad Breath
Once you can identify the cause of bad breath, the next question is how to treat bad breath.
Treatment varies depending on the cause. If any health condition causes bad breath, your dentist will refer you to a doctor or a specialist. However, in most cases, bad breath can be treated by:
- Practising Good Oral Hygiene Habits like daily brushing and flossing. Your dentist will also recommend an anti-bacterial toothpaste and mouthwash to fight the foul odour.
- Deep cleaning.
- Treatment of gum disease.
Halitosis Treatment in Bendigo, VIC
If you’re looking for expert dentists in Bendigo, VIC, Australia, who can treat bad breath, then Integrated Smiles is a perfect choice. We offer a huge range of quality dental services, including how to treat bad breath.
Contact us today if you need more information or want to schedule an appointment.
