Is Bad Breath a Warning Sign?

Who wants to have bad breath? There is nothing cute about having breath that smells like decaying broccoli. It can create a poor impression when you interact with others, and it can have significant effects on your professional and personal life. You certainly do not want to be that person everyone avoids simply because they do not want to put up with your dragon breath.

What causes bad breath?

Bad breath can be caused by a number of things. The most common reason why people have bad breath is poor oral hygiene. When a person fails to properly clean their mouth, bacteria populations in the mouth multiply. These bacteria break down food particles that are left in the person's mouth and convert them into unpleasant-smelling gasses.

Bad breath can also be caused by the things a person eats. Certain foods have pungent odors, and that can affect the way a person's breath smells. To make things worse, cleaning the mouth often is not enough to get rid of these smells. The substances that create the smells in the food make their way into the bloodstream and eventually into saliva. That means the person's saliva will still have the pungent smell even after brushing.

Bad breath can also be caused by a host of health issues like digestive or respiratory diseases. The health issue causing the foul-smelling breath has to be addressed to improve the way the patient's mouth smells.

Is bad breath a warning sign?

Absolutely. Having bad breath is a sign a person has excessive amounts of harmful bacteria in their mouth or some other type of health issue. It is a sign the patient needs to improve their oral care routine and overall health. The only cases of bad breath that are not indicative of a health issue are those caused by certain foods.

Freshening your breath

There are many things a person can do to improve the way their breath smells. As was mentioned earlier, it starts with practicing good oral hygiene. Patients should brush their teeth at least twice each day. One of those times should be right before going to bed. Saliva production is reduced while a person sleeps, and since this serves as a natural mouth cleaner, the mouth is more susceptible to bacteria during this period.

Patients should also floss at least once each day and use an antibacterial mouthwash to keep bacteria populations in check.

Staying well hydrated also plays an important role when it comes to keeping bad breath away. Dry mouth often leads to bad breath, so patients are advised to drink lots of water throughout the day. People can also use mints and chewing gum to freshen their breath during the day.

Bad breath is not compulsory

There is no need to settle for having bad breath. Getting rid of it only requires improving your oral hygiene and dealing with any underlying issues. Schedule a consultation with one of our dentists to learn more about improving the way your breath smells.

Request an appointment in our Huntsville dentist office here: https://www.smilesbydesignhuntsville.com.