WHAT ARE THE MAIN CAUSES OF BAD BREATH?

Bad breath is something that everyone worries about from time to time. If you are like many people, the mere thought of having bad breath — or halitosis — can be embarrassing. This is often because you might not even be aware that your breath smells. As a safeguard, you might reach for the breath mints after you eat foods that have onions or garlic. This strategy is only a temporary fix though.

COMMON CAUSES OF BAD BREATH

If you have bad breath after eating a particular food, you probably expect it and it usually goes away in a little while. Tongue scrapers can also be used to help remove temporary breath orders like this. There are other reasons for bad breath that you might not know about. These are hidden reasons that can’t be fixed by munching on some breath mints though.

YOU USE TOBACCO

If you smoke, you might not even know about the unpleasant odors that your mouth has. Chances are that your loved ones know though. When you smoke, your breath might also be bad because you’re more likely to have gum disease.

IT’S YOUR MEDICINE

If you take medication on a daily basis for a chronic condition, then you probably know that it has side effects. One side effect that often catches people by surprise is that some types of medicines can give you bad breath.

YOU’RE SICK

As if you weren’t miserable enough, if you’re sick you might even have bad breath to add to your list of woes. Infections like bronchitis and pneumonia can give you bad breath. A postnasal drip that is caused by a cold or allergies can also make you have bad breath. Thankfully, this could be a temporary problem.

YOU HAVE A CHRONIC DISEASE

If you are one of the millions of Americans with a chronic disease like diabetes, kidney or liver problems or chronic sinus infections, you might also have bad breath to go along with it.

YOU HAVE DRY MOUTH

Dry mouth has a medical name: xerostomia. It can lead to bad breath because there is less saliva in your mouth. Saliva has many purposes including washing the bacteria out of your mouth. With less of it, you could experience bad breath.

IT’S YOUR DENTAL HYGIENE

Brushing and flossing every day is the key to keeping bad breath at bay. Even if you do brush and floss your teeth twice a day, you could be missing places or not doing a complete job. This can lead to bad breath.

YOU HAVE GUM DISEASE

Gum disease is often caused by improper brushing and flossing. Pockets filled with bacteria can form between your gums and teeth and lead to gum disease and bad breath. If you have bad breath or you’re worried that you have it, the best thing to do is to visit your dentist. Sticking to regular checkups every six months and scheduling an appointment at the first sign of a problem are great ways to keep bad breath away.