Bad breath is something that affects many of us – and we often don’t realize it either. There are many causes of bad breath – most of which are avoidable. Fortunately, there are a range of ways of improving our breath, which include dental treatment, improved oral hygiene and keeping hydrated.
Bad breath is a difficult thing to live with – and for some people, it is a huge problem that affects them socially and mentally.
One of the main issues of bad breath is that most of us can’t smell our own breath. Therefore, if it is bad, we are reliant on others telling us. But this isn’t an easy topic to broach, and often the problem is not brought up.
Bad breath, especially in the morning, is very common. For example, it is believed that around 60million Americans have chronic bad breath [1].
If you have bad breath, it is important to look at potential causes. Fortunately, there are many ways of improving bad breath, with dental interventions typically the most effective.
What causes bad breath?
The main cause of bad breath is the effects of bacteria in the mouth. Bacterial by-products from anything that enters the mouth create a concoction that cause a foul odour to emit from mouth. In many cases, it can make it smell like rotten eggs [2].
The main emitter of this foul odour is the tongue. This is where the majority of bacteria latch to. After all, the back of tongue is pounced upon by bacteria, as it is able to feed on dead cells, saliva proteins and fluids from untreated gum disease.
Eventually, the bacteria builds up to the extent where our breath becomes impacted. With the tongue placed in a way that it automatically emits out of our mouth, bad breath is inevitable if the tongue is in poor condition.
It is therefore very important to have excellent oral hygiene. This can help improve our breath. Another contributing factor to bad breath is food particles being left behind. Flossing can greatly improve this issue.
Then there are also other places for unhealthy bacteria to thrive in. These include spaces between broken fillings, holes in teeth (cavities) and pockets in the gums that form due to gum disease.
Many people find that their breath is particularly bad when they first wake up. Saliva flow stops or at least slows when we sleep. Therefore, with little saliva, our mouth dries. Dry mouth is a common side effect of many medications too [2]. Moreover, some people breathe through mouth rather than nose while asleep, worsening the problem.
Other causes of bad breath that are worth looking out for include strong-flavoured foods like curry, onion and garlic. Smoking tobacco is another common cause.
Things you can do
There are many easy and practical fixes. Chewing sugar free gum throughout the day and keeping the mouth hydrated with water can be very helpful.
Avoiding tobacco and strong-smelling foods also helps. If you do have these foods, using a mouth rinse afterwards can be helpful.
But the easiest way to avoid bad breath is to have strong oral hygiene. This includes brushing your teeth at least twice a day and flossing regularly.
But, there is only so much that we can all do. Sometimes, there are deeper causes, which is when a dentist can help.
What can a dentist do?
Attending a dental check-up can be very helpful. This gives a dentist the chance to look at the state of your oral health, and recommend treatment if necessary.
They are also able to locate anything that is contributing to the bad breath – for instance broken fillings, cavities and pockets in the gums. They can provide treatment when needed, which may help to improve our breath.
Your dentist may give you suggestions that can help with bad breath – including cleaning or scraping your tongue. This can be particularly helpful for bad breath.
By attending regular dental check-ups, it will ensure that your teeth remain in strong condition. This is the best way of preventing bad breath.
Thinking points…
1) Taking care of our oral health is so important! Not only can it help to prevent bad breath, but it can also have many other benefits. Therefore, make sure you have excellent oral hygiene – including brushing your teeth regularly, flossing, and as we mentioned earlier, consider using a tongue scraper. Ensure too that you attend dental check-ups regularly, as this will give your dentist a chance to look for any issues. Consider booking an appointment now!
2) While it isn’t an easy topic to bring up, if you know someone who has bad breath, consider having a quiet word with them. You could share this article with them, or recommend some of the practical fixes that are mentioned above. Most importantly, try to persuade them to book a dental appointment, as these can help a lot for overall oral health, including bad breath. While they may not appreciate your comments in the short-term, they will be thankful in the long run.
What we offer at Savanna Dental
Savanna Dental is a Calgary dental clinic that offers many services, including regular check-ups, cavity fillings and root canals.
We are also pleased to offer some cosmetic services. Here at our Calgary dental clinic, we offer treatments like tooth whitening, Invisalign™ and dental implants.
It is important for oral problems to be addressed early. Any issues can be identified at check-ups. If further treatment is needed after a check-up, our patients receive a clear treatment plan that is suited to their needs. Early detection helps to prevent the problem getting worse.
The best way of avoiding extra treatment is to have strong oral hygiene. This includes brushing our teeth at least twice a day, flossing regularly, and getting a dental check-up at least twice a year. Avoiding sugary foods and drink and not smoking also helps.
Our Calgary-based dental clinic Savanna Dental follows the Alberta Dental Fee Guide. This means our prices are competitive, transparent and affordable.
We would love you to visit us here at Savanna Dental soon! You can see more about us by visiting our website https://savannadentalclinic.ca.
References
[1] Colgate Professional. (2009). Bad Breath: Do You Have It? You May Not Know You Do. Available: https://www.colgateprofessional.com/patient-education/halitosis/bad-breath-do-you-have-it. Last accessed: 27th August 2022.
[2] Weerakoon, A. (2022). Why does my breath smell bad, and what can I do about it?. Available: https://medicalxpress.com/news/2022-08-bad.html. Last accessed: 27th August 2022.
