The American Dental Association says that 50% of Americans experience halitosis at one point or another. What is that? In simple words, it’s bad breath, and that’s quite a large percentage we’re looking at. If you’re one of the people in that percentile and don’t know what the reason behind it is, then keep reading. We’ve put together some of the causes related to halitosis (bad breath).
What are the causes of bad breath?
We’ve listed a few factors that lead to bad breath below. Reading them can help you get a step closer to realizing why you may have it in the first place.
Food
For starters, one of the main reasons for bad breath is the type of food you eat. You know how they say, “You are what you eat”? Well, in this case that holds truth too. Some of the following foods are causes of unpleasant odors – onions, garlic, curry, and yes, even coffee!
It is always important to brush AND floss after having these because that is the best way to eliminate some of the odor. Mouthwash can be used as an additional method, but just mouthwash alone is a more temporary fix.
Dry Mouth
Another cause of bad breath is having a dry mouth. This occurs because your body is not producing enough saliva. There are different reasons as to why this can happen and searching dentist near me can help you get to the answer faster! Maybe you are taking specific medications that dry the mouth, maybe it is the actual salivary glands that are not producing saliva adequately, or maybe you’re a mouth breather. Whatever the case, a dry mouth can cause bad breath because saliva is required to cleanse the mouth. To prevent a dry mouth, you can try chewing sugar-free gum. Also, having foods that require quite some chewing can help – apples are a great option. There are also specific solutions used for dry mouth such as Biotene Dry Mouth Oral Rinse.
Dental & Medical Problems
Bad breath can also occur from old dental work that needs to be examined. You may have an old existing crown that may have a bad odor if there is a break in it. Maybe you have an abscess or infection of some type, or maybe there is a great number of accumulated tartar. Whatever the case, it is time to see your general dentist and make sure you are taking care of the problems; not just to stop the smell, but for your overall health as well.
Sometimes medical reasons that don’t pertain to dentistry can also cause that bad odor that you’re noticing. Sometimes sinus related problems can cause bad breath. Liver problems, kidney problems, diabetes, or even acid reflux can all cause bad breath as well. First, check with your physician to make sure you are in good health – that’s most important. As far as bad breath, the abovementioned causes can be checked by your Kansas City Dentist to see if they are factors leading to your bad breath.