What Causes Bad Breath?

You notice that your breath is becoming a hindrance with your social or professional success. And now you observe that you have a bad taste in your mouth. You noticed that people step back when you are talking to them, or they even avoid direct contact with you. Somebody offered you mints or chewing gum and even mouthwash. And you see a yellow film on your tongue. On worst thing is that, your friend confronted you that your breath stinks. And if you seem to have a personal experience of the above mention, therefore bad breath might have hit you.

Halitosis is the medical term for bad breath. It is a common problem that can be a source of embarrassment and is characterized by consistently odorous breath. Bad breath is often found in people with periodontal diseases, including gum abscesses and mouth sores. These diseases are usually attributed to less than admirable oral hygiene, dentures, smoking or teeth restoration, such as bridges.  It may indicate the need to clean the teeth and mouth more often, tooth or gum disease, or intestinal disorders. And the most common cause of bad breath is the food you eat.

The awkward irony of halitosis is that many people aren't aware that they have it. This is because the cells in the nose that are responsible for the sense of smell actually become unresponsive to the continuous stream of bad odor. If you have bad breath, you may need to be told, or you may notice the negative reaction of other people when you're just too close and this is so embarrassing to experience.

Brushing, flossing and seeing your dentist regularly may reduce bad breath. Some dental hygienists recommend brushing your tongue, since it traps large amounts of bacteria. Additional protection against the buildup of bacteria in your mouth can be achieved by rinsing with a mouthwash after you finish brushing. Routinely use a toothpaste or mouthwash containing zinc compounds or stabilized chlorine dioxide to help break down odor-causing sulfur chemicals. Keep an eye on mouth and breathe hygiene. Brushing and flossing regularly keeps your teeth free from small food particles. Scrub the tongue. Brush your tongue or use a commercial tongue scraper regularly to remove odor-causing agents and keep bacteria in check. Get a dental check up to find out if problems associated with oral health are contributing to your halitosis.

Specific treatment for halitosis will be determined by the dentist will be based on the health of your mouth, the cause or origin of the condition, extent of the condition, your tolerance for specific medications, treatments, procedures, or therapies and your preference. The physician may order antibacterial mouthwash, or just an ordinary mouthwash. What would matter the most is how compliant you are with the treatment regimen that would determine the success.

Your physician can tell you if you are taking medications that can cause dry mouth or if you have other medical conditions that may predispose you to dry mouth and bad breath. In either case, chewing gum may stimulate saliva to help prevent dry mouth.

Say goodbye to bad breath and hello to socials!

Children's Dental and Oral Health

Oral health is an important part of overall health, and good oral health should start early for the child’s first line of defense against plaque, cavities and bad breath. From the time your child is born, you should start promoting a healthy and good oral hygiene for them.

Parents should ensure that their child’s teeth are well-developed and that they maintain a consistent oral hygiene routine as they grow. This is a continuing process to adulthood.

For babies, you should be careful in taking care of their teeth. You have to know the right way in cleaning their teeth. You can use a soft clean cloth or a ball of cotton soaked in clean water in taking out food debris or milk remnants left in their teeth’s surfaces. Check those surfaces regularly for spots or stains.  If your child’s mouth isn’t properly cleaned, they might suffer from halitosis and gum problems later on.

Tooth decay affects a lot of children mostly in this generation now that there are a lot acidic foods being advertised that easily destroy our teeth with cavities and tartar.

Untreated tooth decay causes pain and infection that may interfere in their eating, speaking, playing and learning. It might also affect their social skills as they won’t have the confidence in showing their decayed teeth to their friends or classmates.

Oral health should be instilled by the parents and must be disciplined to teach your children about dental education and awareness of oral hygiene.

You can encourage them to eat nutritious meals and limit sweet snacks and drinks. This will lower the risk of having tooth decay at a very early age.

Provide low-fat milk and dairy products but rich in calcium. It will strengthen the teeth’s surfaces as well as the enamel to prevent it from being too brittle.

Protect your child’s teeth with fluoride. Provide them toothpastes that contains fluoride. You can also opt for fluoridization with the help of your family dentist. They will you provide information which are necessary before your child undergoes such process.

Schedule regular dental check ups. A dental appointment at least twice a year will help you prevent unnecessary dental visits and additional expenses later on. It updates you on the condition of your child’s teeth as dentists routinely examine it every time you go visit them. 

Having healthy teeth allows your child to eat and chew properly. It also helps children to speak clearly and confidently show their most precious smiles.

Most importantly, it is advisable to educate your child what oral hygiene is and how it is related to their wellness. Poor oral health may affect their growth and school attendance and it also decreases their self-esteem having those black spots on their teeth which are very unsightly.