The attack on the "environment" of the mouth is bad breath
Whenever we talk about the environment and the recurring threats it faces, we tend to think of forests, oceans, pollution, resource scarcity, and so on. However, we don’t always remember that bad breath is also a toxic environment that nobody wants around and that can reside in the mouth.
Bad breath has a name, halitosis, that silent discomfort, which can ruin a good conversation, push away a hug, prevent a kiss, or leave a “good day”, “good afternoon” or other words stuck in the throat.
Embarrassing? Yes. Ordinary? Again yes. Treatable? Of course!
So, enough of looking at this subject with shame or taboo.
In this blog article we tried to demystify some ideas such as that bad breath always originates in the mouth and leave valid indications of how to solve the problem.
Contents approached
What really causes bad breath?
No, it’s not just the garlic. We risk saying more, it won’t be a piece of gum that will kill him. It is thought that halitosis affects all individuals even occasionally and transiently and brings with it social, affective and psychological repercussions.
The causes are diverse, but can be divided into three main groups:
- oral
- Exogenous or external (food, tobacco, alcohol...)
- Related to other areas (systemic diseases, gastroesophageal reflux...)
Focusing especially on persistent bad breath (or chronic halitosis), due to oral causes, which account for about 90% of cases, we found that it may be related to:
- Poor oral hygiene (plaque, unsanitized tongue)
- cavities
- Gingivitis or periodontitis
- oral ulceration
- Oral infections (bacterial, viral or fungal)
- Dental prostheses with poor oral hygiene
- Hyposialia (decreased salivary flow, often due to medication)
- oral cancer
And can morning breath be considered bad breath?
How many times have you woken up and felt that your morning breath is not pleasant at all and you had that urgent need to brush your teeth? Rest, it doesn’t mean you have bad breath.
It is normal for this to happen at this time of day because, during the night, the amount of saliva produced decreases and there is a several-hour abstinence from liquid and food.
Some steps you can take to clean the "environment" from your mouth
-
Brush your teeth
Use a toothbrush and proper toothpaste two to three times daily. -
Dental floss is not optional
Without it, food waste accumulates where the bad smell loves to live. Use it at least once a day to get where the brush doesn’t. -
The tongue is also cleaned
Most bad breath bacteria live on the tongue. Use tongue scraper for tongue cleansing. -
Drink water. Plenty.
Saliva is the natural detergent of the mouth. Without water, the mouth dries... and "pollution" sets in. -
Feed on intelligence
Avoid overindulging in garlic, onion, coffee or alcohol. And beware of extreme low-carb diets that can cause keto breath with a strong smell.
Although bad breath originating from the mouth is frequent, it is important to have a professional’s assessment to identify and treat properly.
For a proper diagnosis of the problem, our oral hygienists conduct a thorough questionnaire to understand the clinical history, only then is an objective intra- and extra-oral examination performed. If necessary, complementary diagnostic tests are carried out, such as salivary and microbiological tests, and measuring instruments are used.
If you already do all of this and still notice frequent bad breath, the problem demands even deeper intervention.
At the oral hygiene consultation with Dr. Alexandra Fernandes will assess your case, detect invisible signs (such as silent gingivitis) and if necessary, redirect to the right specialty.
- Periodontology
- oral medicine
- gastroenterology
- endocrinology
When it comes to bad breath, the diagnosis restores balance to the mouth environment.
4 halitosis myths. Treating is not hiding!
- Chewing gum eliminates or bad breath – on the contrary, mascara a causa!
- Elixirs solve all problems – they can worsen the problem by reducing saliva production.
- Mau hálito é sempre sinónimo de má higiene oral.
- Bad breath has no cure. Treatment is effective with regular visits to the dentist to identify and treat the problem.
Don’t wait any longer and book your appointment now, after all there is a cure.
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