Surprising Reasons That Cause Bad Breath And 10 Ways You Can Get Rid Of It
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Bad breath, medically known as halitosis, can kill a person’s confidence. Though we usually blame ourselves for bad breath, there might be more to it than just poor oral hygiene. Luckily, there are remedies for bad breath that are also cost-effective. To figure out what works for you, you need to diagnose the problem. Here are the most common causes of bad breath:
1. The Kind Of Food You Eat
Having pungent foods and foods with high acidic content in them can cause bad breath. This is due to how these food particles react with saliva. Such foods include onions, garlic, fish, and so on. Having leftovers of these food particles stuck in the mouth can be a reason for bad breath.
2. Poor Oral Hygiene
Oral hygiene is a vital part of self-care. It can also be one of the most difficult to do regularly. Oral hygiene demands time, and patience. Brush at least twice a day. Floss periodically for better oral health and odor.
3. Smoking
Smoking can not only cause cancer, but it can also give you bad breath. The nicotine in tobacco is one of the most carcinogenic products and leaves a pungent smell in the mouth.
4. Dry Mouth
Saliva present in the mouth is meant to keep it clean and free from harmful bacteria. Sometimes a decrease in the production of saliva results in dry mouth. One of the side effects of this condition is bad breath.
5. Illnesses and Disease
Certain diseases or conditions in the body can cause bad breath. Diseases of the liver, cancer, and other metabolic disorders are known to cause bad breath. Plaque, which is the build-up of bacteria on your teeth is another reason for bad breath.
How To Diagnose?
Ideally, there is nothing about your body that is not serious enough to be ignored. If you have chronic bad breath, it ought to be looked into. All it might take is a visit to the dentist. There are many tests available to diagnose what is causing the bad breath. Book any one of these to find out what is ailing you:
- BANA test measures the level of specific enzymes produced by the bacteria that cause halitosis.
- Halimeter is done to measure the build-up of sulfur in the mouth.
- Gas Chromatography inspects whether certain sulfur compounds are present in the mouth, such as Hydrogen sulfide, methyl mercaptan, and dimethyl sulfide, which can cause bad breath.
- Beta-Galactosidase Test measures the amount of beta-galactosidase enzyme in the mouth, as it is linked to bad breath.
How To Deal with Bad Breath:
1. Brush Your Teeth Regularly
The most effortless and effective way of taking care of your teeth and oral hygiene. Brush at least twice a day for a minimum of 5 minutes. Make sure you cover all parts of your mouth.
2. Floss Daily
Without flossing, oral care is incomplete. Though brushing removes most of the leftover food particles, there might still be some stuck in between the teeth and other crevices of the mouth. Unless this is taken care of, it can cause bad breath. Flossing will remove the excess food that might be stuck in your mouth.
3. Rinse
Most dentists recommend that you set down an oral care routine. The inevitable of any oral hygiene is rinsing, apart from brushing and flossing.
4. Consult Your Dentist
Self-care is important, but so is a trip to the dentist every once in a while. There are important details that we miss that a dentist can discover and solve. Do not wait till it gets really worse to do it.
5. Drink Water
Drinking an adequate amount of water can solve a lot of problems in our body. Water is quite the problem solver when it comes to bad breath too. Especially if a dry mouth is giving you bad breath, drinking plenty of water can help you.
6. Eat Healthy Food
The kind of food you eat does not only influence your health and nutrition, but it also has an effect on your oral hygiene. Avoid eating pungent, acidic foods on a daily basis.
7. Quit Smoking
We already mentioned the consequences smoking might have on your health. In addition to the risk of oral cancer and lung cancer it brings, smoking leaves an off-putting odor in your mouth. In the long term, this will amount to chronic bad breath.
8. Limit The Amount Of Sugar You Consume
Everyone knows that sugar causes decay of teeth. Decay itself is a condition that requires attention. You might be wondering what it has to do with bad breath. When a tooth decays, cavities occur, which increases the chance of food being stuck in your mouth.
Do not let bad breath affect your relationships and personality. Start taking measures towards improving your oral hygiene today. Do you have any favorite life hacks to deal with bad breath? Share with us.
