Nobody likes bad breath, and although it can sometimes be difficult to tell if you have it, it is always better to practice good oral health than risk having a smelly mouth. There are many ways to reduce or eliminate bad breath, some are definitely more effective and longer lasting than others. In this blog, we’ll outline the causes of bad breath and how to prevent it.
5 Causes of Bad Breath
1. Dry Mouth
A decrease in saliva flow can be caused by several things. Most often, medication or mouth breathing are the culprits. As saliva helps wash away food particles from your mouth, it prevents bad breath. Dry mouth can be dealt with by stimulating salivation.
2. Gum Disease & Poor Oral Hygiene
Not brushing and flossing well enough or with enough frequency can lead to gum disease, which leads to bad breath. Halitosis can be a sign that plaque is present on your teeth.
3. Food-Related Bad Breath
Food particles that aren’t brushed or flossed away attract bacteria that leads to bad breath. It’s especially important to brush after eating strong-smelling foods, such as garlic or onions.
4. Tobacco & Smoking
Tobacco is bad for your health, and that includes your oral health. Smoking or chewing tobacco can contribute toward the development of gum disease, as well as oral cancer.
5. Mouth Infections & Other Medical Problems
A mouth infection, sinus infection or even the common cold can cause you to temporarily have bad breath. Even conditions such as diabetes and reflux can cause halitosis. It’s always wise to see your orthodontist to help determine the cause.
How to Prevent Bad Breath
Floss Regularly
As difficult as it can be to remember to floss regularly, when it comes to bad breath, flossing is one of the easiest and most cost-effective ways to freshen your mouth. See, flossing reduces the plaque and bacteria found in areas of your mouth that a toothbrush simply can’t reach, and in turn, it rids your mouth of the smell associated with those bacteria. While flossing may not eliminate bad breath on its own, if you do it along with other health oral hygiene habits like brushing, then you may just develop a fresher smelling mouth.
Use Mouthwash
Using some sort of mouthwash can really freshen up your breath, especially if you find it still smells after brushing and flossing. There is a wide variety of mouthwash products on the market, however, you can also create your own by simply using baking soda mixed with water.
Always Brush After Sleeping
Whether after taking a nap, or having a full night of sleep, you will want to brush your teeth in order to reduce bad breath. The truth is bacteria accumulates in your mouth while you are sleeping (even during a short nap) and that is ultimately the source of bad breath. So next time you wake from a good slumber, give your mouth some brushing and you will find it makes a big difference in the freshness of your breath.
Overcome Bad Breath with Wonder West Orthodontics
There are many ways to freshen your breath beyond just using gum or mints, the above mentioned are just a few for you to try. Test them out and you will likely find your bad breath problem is solved, or at least considerably reduced. Of course, you can always ask the team at Wonder West Orthodontics at your next visit to our London, ON office.