Bad Breath

Bad breath can be at a level that disturbs the person and his/her environment in the society. One of the underlying causes of bad breath is that the person cannot provide oral hygiene adequately. If the odor persists despite oral hygiene, this indicates other health problems rather than oral health. You should definitely apply to consult a specialist .

Halitosis, which usually occurs in the morning, can be considered physiologically normal. It is normal for us to wake up with these odors in the morning as a result of the food consumed in the evening entering between the teeth or accumulating on the tongue. You can get rid of these odors by brushing your teeth and taking care of your mouth in the morning.

Even if there is no bad breath, some people think that their mouth smells. In such cases, it would be more appropriate for you to see the dentist. Tooth and gum diseases that occur in the mouth also cause odor.

The main cause of odors may be diseases in the stomach, nasal flesh and upper respiratory tract, not the mouth. If such situations are experienced, the underlying cause of bad breath should be investigated and treatment should be started.

Reasons

This odor may occur due to habits formed in dental health. It can be carried to advanced stages depending on the type of food you eat and other unhealthy lifestyles. It is extremely important to pay attention to your teeth brushing on a daily basis, to use dental floss and mouthwash regularly.

If oral care is not done correctly and regularly, food particles may remain in the mouth. These remaining foods lead to bacteria production around the gums and tongue. Antibacterial mouthwashes help reduce the odor even if it does not completely pass it.

The teeth of people using dentures can also cause bad odor in the mouth in cases where odor-causing bacteria and food particles are not properly cleaned.

Persistent odors or bad taste in the mouth may be an indication of periodontal disease. Plaque accumulation on the teeth and toxins that irritate the gums can cause gum diseases. If the underlying cause of your bad breath is gum disease, you should be treated as soon as possible otherwise. Disorders related to your gums can cause serious damage to your teeth and jawbone.

How to Get Rid of Bad Breath?

The answer to this question is actually simple. You can get rid of this problem by taking small and regular precautions. Here are some ways you can do it at home:

Brushing teeth after meals

Brush your teeth using fluoride-containing toothpastes, especially after eating. The antibacterial properties in toothpastes are more effective in reducing bad odors.

Flossing at least once a day

Proper flossing helps remove food particles and plaque from the teeth, so you can control bad odors.

Brushing the tongue

The tongue also contains bacteria just like the teeth. If you brush your tongue while brushing your teeth, you can prevent odors. Especially since people who smoke and have dry mouth have a tongue covered by bacteria, it is important for oral health that these people use a tongue scraper for tongue cleaning. Toothbrushes with a cleaner can also be preferred.

Cleaning dentures or dental appliances

People who use bridges or dentures should clean at least once a day or at the frequency specified by the dentist. You can use the cleaning products recommended by the dentist.

Avoiding dry mouth

Your mouth should be moist, not dry. If you use tobacco products to get rid of this dryness, you should stay away from them and take care to consume plenty of water. You should limit coffee, soft and alcoholic beverages that can cause dry mouth. You can stimulate saliva by using sugar-free gum. Besides all these, dry mouth can be chronic. Therefore, your dentist, doctor, may give you an artificial preparation or an oral medication to stimulate the flow of saliva.

Editing the diet

Onions, garlic, etc., which can cause bad breath. If you avoid products, your bad breath will decrease. However, consumption of too much sugary food is also associated with bad breath.

Have regular dental checkups

You can go to your dentist regularly, usually twice a year, to have your teeth or dentures examined and cleaned.

Bad Breath Symptoms

Bad breath is not a disease, but a symptom of many diseases. Bad breath that may occur depending on the food you eat physiologically is considered normal. There are also bad breaths caused by pathological conditions. These;

• Dental caries
• Sinusitis
• Angina
• Throat diseases such as adenoids
• Digestive system diseases such as reflux and stomach ailments
• Diabetes
• Liver failure
• It can also be a symptom of systemic diseases such as kidney failure.

In particular, acetone-fruit-like halitosis in diabetics and ammonia-like halitosis occurring in kidney diseases are quite characteristic.

Diagnostic Methods

If the odor is due to gum disease, your dentist can treat the disease. Bad breath can come to such an extent that it will disturb not only the person himself, but also the people around him after a while.

In the presence of bad breath, it is very important to diagnose the condition that causes bad breath. An oral-dental examination and X-ray may be done to detect dental caries. In addition, the diagnosis of gingival diseases can be made by examination.

Various blood tests may be requested after the examination to investigate other conditions that may cause bad breath.

Treatment Methods

The underlying cause of bad breath may be the inability to provide complete oral hygiene. In this case, simple methods such as performing the daily cleaning of the teeth in the best way and using dental floss and mouthwash may work.

Using fluoride toothpaste, the teeth should be brushed 3 times a day for at least 2 minutes, after each meal, the food residues between the teeth should be cleaned with dental floss and antibacterial mouthwashes should be used if necessary.

In addition to dental care, you can also clean the bacteria accumulated on the tongue during the day with tongue cleaning brushes specially produced to clean the bacteria on the tongue. If you are using a denture, it should be removed at night and thoroughly cleaned before wearing it the next day.

Less water consumption during the day is also among the factors that can cause bad breath. Drinking water stimulates saliva production, which helps clear bacteria from the mouth. In addition, if the person smokes, it plays an important role in quitting smoking.

If the heavy odor does not disappear despite good oral and dental health care, then other underlying causes can be looked at.

If it develops due to tooth decay or infection in the gums, bad breath can be treated by the dentist by applying the most appropriate treatment methods. Dental calculus is another factor that causes bad breath and needs to be cleaned once a year. It is recommended that a healthy person have oral and dental examinations twice a year.