If you suffer from chronic bad breath, you know what an enormously embarrassing condition it can be. Bad breath, or halitosis, can impact your social life, your relationship with your significant other, your work environment, and even your daily interactions with strangers. You may brush and floss regularly, and you may have tried a number of dental remedies, all to no avail. One of the most important factors in treating your bad breath is figuring out what causes it in the first place. In this post, your Downey, CA dentist explains the causes of bad breath and how you may be able to treat your condition.
Potential Reasons for Your Halitosis
Bad breath has a number of potential causes, including:
- Improper hygiene: When you do not brush or floss properly, bacteria begins to build up between your teeth, on your tongue, and in your gums, resulting in an unpleasant odor, as well as a risk for decay, tooth loss, and infection.
- Gum disease: When left untreated, a buildup of bacteria can cause your gums to pull away from the teeth. This results in tooth loss, receding gums, and bad breath.
- Your diet: Even if you brush and floss properly after every meal, your eating habits can still affect your breath. As you digest, particles of food enter your blood stream and are carried to your lungs. As a result, your breath can transmit odors of strong foods such as garlic, onions, and other spices.
- Dry mouth: Your saliva washes away bacteria and debris from the inside of your mouth. With less saliva, these odor-causing materials are more likely to remain in your mouth.
- Medications: Some medications cause dry mouth; others break down in your blood stream and carry odor-causing particles to your lungs.
- Other medical conditions: Though rare, other health problems can cause halitosis. These conditions include acid reflux, cancer, metabolic problems, sinus infections, and more.
Treating Bad Breath
One of the most common treatments for halitosis is scaling and planing. During this treatment, your dentist will clean out pockets of bacteria that have formed in your gums, and he will smooth rough patches on your tooth roots that often harbor bacteria. Of course, if poor dental habits or diet are to blame, making the necessary lifestyle changes may be all that is needed. In other cases, your dentist may be able to recommend specially formulated, powerful mouthwashes and toothpastes that can greatly decrease or even eliminate breath odors.
About Downey Family Cosmetic Dentistry
Dr. Hadis Reyhani, Dr. Ben Reyhani, and Dr. Pasha Hakimzadeh provide a wealth of combined experience, along with innovative technology and personalized care, to help improve our patients’ dental health and function and help them enjoy smiling again. To schedule a consultation, call Downey Family Cosmetic Dentistry today at (562) 472-2433.
