Bad Breath and What It Might Mean for Your Dental Health

Bad Breath and What It Might Mean for Your Dental Health. Bad breath or halitosis can be very embarrassing and it is often difficult to tell if you have this problem. The best way to find out for sure is to ask a trusted friend or relative to tell you the truth. We all have bad breath occasionally and this is often due to eating foods that include onions and garlic, and in this case there is little you can do but wait until the food is eliminated from your body.

Using mouthwash will only have a temporary effect in masking the odour. Persistent bad breath is much more worrying and does require a proper diagnosis. This is where our dentist in Basildon can help you. So what can cause bad breath?

Most Common Causes of Bad Breath

The main cause of bad breath is poor oral hygiene. If you don’t brush and floss regularly then food particles can remain trapped in between your teeth and around your gum line where they will gradually rot. This food also fuels the growth of bacteria, adding to your halitosis. Your tongue can also harbour bacteria and food particles which is why it can be nice to gently brush it when you brush your teeth.

Another potential cause of bad breath is called dry mouth or xerostomia. Ideally your mouth should produce plenty of saliva to help wash away old food particles, dead skin cells and excess bacteria, keeping your mouth clean and comfortable. A lack of saliva greatly increases the risk of bad breath and it can feel very unpleasant. Additionally, not having enough saliva increases your risk of tooth decay and gum disease. Dry mouth may be a side effect of certain medical conditions or medications can develop after some treatments such as chemotherapy and radiotherapy that may damage the salivary glands.

There are also a number of other diseases and illnesses that can cause bad breath and which include diabetes, respiratory tract infections such as pneumonia or bronchitis, chronic acid reflux, or kidney or liver problems.

How We Can Help You

Our Basildon dentist will carefully examine your mouth for any signs of dental diseases that may be causing this problem. After the examination we can formulate a suitable treatment plan that will detail all possible treatment options to help freshen your breath and which will also treat any dental problems. If your halitosis is caused by poor oral hygiene then we can advise you on ways to improve your brushing and flossing routine. An appointment with our hygienist to professionally clean your teeth will help to freshen up your breath.

If you have dry mouth then it’s possible to buy over-the-counter saliva substitutes or we can prescribe something to help you feel more comfortable. It might also be worth a visit to your GP if you think your xerostomia is being caused by a prescribed medication in case they can lower the dosage or prescribe something different. We will also suggest you visit your GP if we can’t find any cause for your bad breath, just in case it is due to an undiagnosed medical problem.

There is no need to put up with bad breath so if you think you may have this problem then please don’t hesitate to contact us here at Together Dental Basildon. Call us today on 01268 726789 or if you prefer you can contact us through our website at www.together.dental