Mar 13 2010
What Are The Causes Of Bad Breath?
Have you ever wondered whether you have bad breath? Do you know what can cause it? Statistics show that one out of four people have this problem with other studies reporting half of the adult population have this condition.
Some of the main causes are eating certain foods, compromised health conditions and having certain habits. Most of the time, you can treat the problem with proper oral hygiene. But if you’ve been diligently practicing good dental hygiene by brushing better and flossing more and still don’t see any change, you should make an appointment with your dentist or doctor to eliminate other serious causes of your condition.
External Causes: There are external and internal causes. External causes can be the kinds of foods you eat, especially if you eat spicy or smelly foods (such as cooking spices, garlic, onions, and even tuna). If you suspect the odor in your breath is caused by this reason, you may want to make entries in a food log to see if the problem appears when you eat certain foods. Individuals who use alcohol and tobacco can also have bad breath.
Internal Reasons: Internal reasons can start in your mouth and spread throughout the rest of your body. Your tongue naturally provides the perfect place for bacteria to accumulate and multiply. These bacteria emit and odor by releasing volatile sulfur compound (VSC’s). The main culprits that cause this odor are hydrogen sulfide and methyl mercaptain. An examination of will show these bacteria like to live in the back area of your tongue.
Other Sources: There can be several sources that lead to odor formation in your mouth including: Poor denture hygiene can lead to food and plaque accumulation causing odors to develop; Dental problems such as poor dental hygiene, gingivitis and gum disease; Infections of the throat and sinus; Dry mouth due to poor saliva flow, especially when caused by medications or radiation therapy for cancer; Dieting; and having systemic diseases such as GI conditions, diabetes, kidney/liver failure, and lung infections or abscesses.
If the problem doesn’t go away with good daily hygiene care, schedule an appointment with your dentist to find out why. He may stock products designed to get rid of the VSC’s in your mouth.
Don’t give up on your efforts to improve your home dental care, continue brushing with a flouridated toothpaste, flossing, and using other dental aids such as a gum stimulator and a tongue scraper.
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