Causes and Treatment of Halitosis (bad breath)
Have people ever avoided talking to you because you had halitosis? This is not just a social issue, bad breath is an indicator of poor dental care, which can lead to more severe dental problems. There are many causes for halitosis, also known as halitosis, and it is made worse by unhealthy daily habits including the food you eat and the way you take care of your teeth.
Everything you eat is chewed in your mouth and odors remain long after your meal, so it is important to brush and floss your mouth properly after meals to get rid of food residues because they are the main cause of halitosis. Regularly brushing your mouth with a mouthwash to fight food residues helps keep your mouth smelling fresh and clean at all times.
Causes halitosis (Bad breath)
Causes of bad breath
One of the biggest causes of bad breath is poor dental care. If you don't brush and floss properly, food particles will begin to break down in the mouth and give off a foul odor, causing bad breath. These bites also help the growth of bacteria inside the mouth and cause the bacteria to decay and deteriorate the teeth and gums, producing sulfur compounds and leading to bad breath.
The same bacteria can cause gum infections, and bad breath is one of the first signs.
Instead, skipping meals causes bad breath, because not eating reduces the production of saliva needed to flush bacteria from the teeth, tongue, and gums. Medical conditions such as infections in the body, diabetes, kidney failure, or liver dysfunction can also cause bad breath and this can be resolved when the medical issue is taken care of.
Dry mouth is another common cause of bad breath, and dry mouth can be treated in a variety of ways to improve your breath.
And don't forget that your diet and the type of food you eat may also affect your mouth odor because strong foods like garlic and onions usually cause a strange smell in the mouth but using mouthwash will take care of that. Bad breath has many causes, including smoking, stress, diet, age, hormonal changes, and snoring. The smell emanating from the back of your tongue may indicate a postnasal drip.
There are many causes for halitosis, such as the following:
1. Food
The remains of food crumbs accumulated in and around the teeth cause a foul smell similar to mold, especially in foods that contain volatile oils, such as onions and garlic, which can cause bad breath for a period that lasts up to 72 hours, in addition to some other types of vegetables. and spices.
2. Dental problems
Failure to maintain adequate dental health and hygiene is one of the main causes of halitosis, as this leads to the accumulation of food crumbs in the mouth and the collection of germs that release some types of foul gases such as hydrogen sulfide.
Other times, plaque builds up and can lead to gingivitis, and plaque-filled cysts between the teeth and gums make the smell worse.
3. Dry mouth
Saliva helps to clean the mouth, and in cases of dry mouth, dead cells accumulate on the tongue and gums, causing bad breath, and the mouth usually becomes dry during sleep, which causes bad breath that many suffer from in the morning.
4. Some diseases
There are some diseases that cause harm.
- Chronic infection accompanied by an abscess in the lungs.
- Certain types of cancer.
- Metabolic disease.
- (Renal failure), which smells similar to urine.
- (Hepatic failure), and the smell is similar to that of fish.
- (Diabetes), and the smell is similar to that of rotting fruits.
- (Gastroesophageal reflux disease - GERD).
- Sinusitis.
- Bronchitis
5. Smoking
Smoking causes smoking, in addition to smoking that is felt by people who smoke.
6. Strict Diets
This type of dependent people may lead to people being dependent on food.
How to get rid of halitosis (bad breath) naturally?
- Brush, floss, and mouthwash regularly to keep your mouth clean.
- An antiseptic mouthwash can help kill bacteria and also wash away food particles from hard-to-reach places, leaving your mouth clean.
- Don't forget to clean the tongue as well, as we usually ignore it, but the food and bacteria left on the tongue can cause bad breath.
- Some studies suggest that rinsing the mouth with black tea prevents the growth of bacteria in dental plaque, and reduces the formation and production of acids.
- Eliminate dry mouth by sucking on sugar-free candy.
- This helps the saliva glands work and keeps the mouth moist.
- Make some lifestyle changes such as quitting smoking and replacing this habit with healthy eating to maintain oral health.
- If the cause of the bad smell is internal or medical, you need to get to the root of the problem. Visit a dentist for proper diagnosis and treatment.
Halitosis prevention
Some steps can be taken to prevent Halitosis, such as the following:
- Brush your teeth after eating.
- Clean between the teeth once every day.
- Rub the tongue and clean it with special tools to get rid of suspended matter.
- Regular cleaning of the gums.
- Drink more water.
- Use a toothbrush in good condition and change it from time to time.
- Undergo a periodic check-up by the dentist to detect any problem and know the current and used methods to get rid of Halitosis.
Halitosis (Bad breath) symptoms
Fresh breath gives you confidence when talking to people and bad breath can become detrimental to your social life, and it is difficult for you to know if you are one of them and most people may not even teach you about it.
How do you know if your mouth is Halitosis?
One way is to lick your wrist, wait five seconds, and then smell it. If it Bad breath, your mouth smells the same.
Some of the other common bad breath symptoms include:
- Postnasal drip
- Bitter and metallic taste in the mouth
- White coating on the tongue
- thick saliva
- Symptoms of dry mouth, which include difficulty speaking or swallowing
- burning in the mouth
- Signs of a respiratory tract infection, such as fever, sore throat, persistent cough, and lymph nodes in the neck.
Alternative therapies
There are some herbs whose chewing helps relieve mouth odor because they contain a group of essential oils, such as the following:
- Fresh parsley.
- mint;
- thyme