Some people worry about having bad breath – even though they don’t have it, while others who have bad breath don’t even realize it. Bad breath varies depending on the source and the cause of bad breath. It’s tough for you to work out how bad your breath does – or doesn’t smell, confirm with a close friend or family member to check if there is an odour issue.

If you find that you do have issues with bad breath one of the first things to do is review your oral hygiene habits, drink plenty of water, use dental floss, try brushing your tongue after eating and brush your teeth twice a day. If you make these changes and find you still have bad breath visit your dentist. Your dentist will be able to take a look and identify the main cause and if they find there is another reason for your bad breath you may be referred to your General Physician or Internal Medicine Specialist to find the cause of the odour and get treated.

BAD BREATH CAUSES :

Poor dental hygiene – if you don’t brush and floss daily food particles can remain trapped in your mouth causing bad breath — a colorless and sticky film of bacteria – known as plaque – forms on your teeth. If plaque isn’t brushed away from your teeth, it can irritate your gums and eventually form plaque-filled pockets between your teeth and gums. Your tongue can also trap bacteria and dentures that aren’t cleaned regularly, or don’t fit properly can also harbor bacteria and food particles that can lead to bad breath odor.

Food – Eating certain foods such as spices, onions, and garlic can cause bad breath. After you digest foods such as these, they enter your bloodstream and are – in turn, carried to your lungs, which can affect your breathing as the breakdown of food particles in and around your teeth can cause a build-up of bacteria that can cause bad breath.

Smoking – Tobacco causes its unpleasant mouth odor, and smokers are more likely to have gum problems which are another common source of bad breath.

Dry mouth – The saliva in your mouth helps keep your mouth cleansed and in turn, removes the particles that can cause bad breath. Dry mouth occurs while you sleep which leads to *morning breath* which can be worse when you sleep with your mouth open. Chronic dry mouth can be caused by problem with the saliva glands and some diseases.

Medications – Some medications cause bad breath by contributing to dry mouth, while other medications break down in our body to release chemicals that in turn can be carried by your breath.

For Dental related issues, consult our expert Dentist.