Get the Facts from Your Dentist: Five Potential Reasons for Your Bad Breath
If you have been told you have bad breath, or if you simply have an inkling that you may, then you likely wonder: How do I get rid of bad breath? The best way to do so is to avoid getting it in the first place. Keep reading to learn about five reasons you may have bad breath and then contact California Dental Group at (800) 407-0161 for a comprehensive cleaning and exam that can help improve your breath.
- The Food You Eat Could Be Causing Bad Breath
- Your Hygiene Habits Are Likely Making a Difference
- Smoking and Other Tobacco Products Cause Bad Breath
- Gum Disease Can Cause Bad Breath
- Bad Breath Could Be a Sign of an Internal Disease
After you eat food, it is broken down and digested. This begins in your mouth but once it has passed down through your bloodstream, the stinky things you have eaten (like onions or garlic) can be expelled by your lungs. Brushing, flossing, and mouthwash can mask the smell but because it is actually coming from the lungs, the only way to truly get rid of it is to wait for it to leave the system.
If you do not take care to follow good oral health regimes at home, then you could end up with bad breath. Why? Because the particles you are not brushing or flossing away can feed bacteria that grows on your teeth and gums – which results in bad breath. Mouthwash can also be effective in killing off some of this bacteria.
It is likely no surprise that tobacco – and specifically smoking or chewing tobacco – can cause bad breath. Of course, it also causes serious health issues as well as gum disease. If gum disease is not treated, it can make your breath even worse. Add to that the increased chance of oral cancer that smokers have, and it is easy to see that smoking is not doing anyone’s breath a favor.
If plaque builds up on your teeth, it can eventually become gum disease. Bad breath is sometimes a warning sign that a person has developed gingivitis or the more serious form of bad breath, periodontal disease. If you have bad breath on a regular basis and cannot figure out why, it is worth talking to your dentist to assure you do not have gum disease.
There are a number of internal diseases that can cause bad breath include bronchitis, diabetes, and liver disease. If you do not know why you have bad breath and have already checked with your dentist, then you may need to visit your physician.
If you have bad breath and would like to find out how your dentist can help, contact California Dental Group at (800) 407-0161 today.
