Six Reasons Your Breath Smells Bad

 

We all have experienced bad breath at some point in our life. While it causes no harm it definitely leads to awkward situations. Called halitosis, bad breath can be triggered by a number of different dental health issues. Here are six of them:  

Reason # 1: Poor Dental Hygiene.

If you don’t clean your teeth properly, food particles can stay in your mouth and cause sticky plaque to form on your teeth and gum line. The rough surface of your tongue and tonsils can also trap those food particles, and the resulting bacteria can lead to bad breath. This is also the reason why the American Dental Association advises people to brush their teeth twice a day and floss for interdental cleaning. 

Reason # 2: Dry Mouth

If your mouth feels parched, it may not be producing enough saliva to wash your mouth. It means you have a dry mouth. Saliva works round the clock to wash out food debris from your mouth. Lack of saliva can cause bacteria to build up and lead to bad breath. Dry mouth is caused by different medicines, issues with your salivary glands, or simply breathing through your mouth. 

Reason # 3: Strong Foods and Beverages 

When you consume foods that contain onion, garlic, and other ingredients with a strong smell, you may experience bad breath. After you eat such foods, your stomach absorbs the essential oils from them and passes them into your bloodstream. This is how they travel to your lungs and lead to bad breath that can last up to three days. Similarly, if you consume coffee, the caffeine will dehydrate your mouth, leaving it parched and prone to bad breath. 

Reason # 4: Medical Conditions

 

Different medical conditions like gastric reflux, kidney and liver disease, diabetes, sinus, and cancer can all lead to bad breath because of their different effects on the body.

Reason # 5: Issues with Digestion

Digestive issues like irritable bowel syndrome and constipation can all lead to bad breath. If you regularly experience acid reflux, the smell of the food can make its way up the esophagus and lead to bad odor. 

Reason # 6: Periodontal Disease 

When you don’t clean your teeth properly and remove all the plaque, it hardens and forms tartar with time. It forms small openings between your teeth and gums, and bacteria can nest in those spaces irritating the gums and leading to bad breath. 

Make sure you brush your teeth and floss every day and visit your dentist once every six months. If you’re in Germantown, contact us at Advanced Dental Center for all your oral health needs. We offer dental cleaning, teeth whitening, cosmetic and preventive dentistry, and orthodontist services to make sure that your smile stays bright for years to come.

 

 

Comments