While dental care is first and foremost an issue of good health, it’s undeniably part of our social well-being too! And few things can make someone more embarrassed than chronic or acute cases of foul breath. Learning how to have fresh breath all time can make you more confident and help avoid awkward social situations.
Read on to learn more about the most common causes and solutions for bad breath.
What Causes Bad Breath
The causes of bad breath are wide-ranging. Sometimes it’s influenced by genetics, and other times it could be what you ate for lunch. But the most common causes of bad breath are often easily remedied – assuming you know what they are!
Oral Health Problems
The number one cause of chronic halitosis? Poor oral hygiene. Like the rest of your body, hygiene and maintenance are required to keep odors away. If you skip brushing or flossing, you will develop bad breath eventually.
As your teeth decay or your gums become inflamed, your chances of infection rise dramatically. When infection strikes, your bad breath will be impossible to ignore (but will also be the least of your problems.)
Bacteria
Even if you take proper care of your teeth and gums, it’s still possible for small groups of bacteria to form into plaque in your mouth. As bacteria grows, eats and leaves behind waste, you’ll start to suffer from decay and likely catch whiffs of bad odors emanating from your mouth.
Coffee
The phrase “coffee breath” is no joke. The strong flavors of coffee have a distinct odor, and even fellow coffee drinkers won’t want to stand too close when they talk to you if you need a cup to start your day.
Equally as important, the caffeine in coffee actually reduces your saliva production. Saliva helps keep bacteria out of your mouth. Without it, you’ll be stuck fighting against coffee breath and an onslaught of bacterial growth.
Cigars, Cigarettes & Chewing Tobacco
If you smoke or chew tobacco, you’ll have an inescapable smell to your breath that follows you long after you take your last drag. But that’s not all, smoking can also cause dry mouth and increase your chances of oral infections. It’s possibly one of the worst things you can do for your dental or whole body health!
How to Have Fresh Breath All the Time
Take Care of Your Dental Health
The first step to improving your breath is to take your dental health seriously. It benefits you in so many ways:
- Fewer eating/drinking related pains
- Reduces your chances of losing teeth
- Improves the natural appearance of your teeth and gums
- Improves your whole-body health
On top of all that, a healthy mouth will have a much less offensive breath as a baseline. It means temporary issues like dry mouth due to alcohol or medication is less likely to cause your breath to hit catastrophic odors.
Brush Your Tongue
Do you have a tongue scraper? If not, you may be forgetting one of the most important parts of your mouth! Cleaning your tongue removes additional bacteria from your mouth, and it can mean the difference between fresh breath or covering your mouth when you talk.
Keep your tongue clean and you’ll be more likely to avoid general bad breath. Bacteria build-up is just as likely on your tongue as your teeth, but many people who have otherwise impeccable dental hygiene often forget to clean their tongues too!
Cut Back on Offending Foods & Drinks
Coffee, garlic and other odorous foods or drinks are often just too much for daily brushing and flossing to fight. The less you eat or drink them, the better off your breath will be. If you must partake, a piece of sugar-free chewing gum can help for the short-term.
Stop Smoking
When it comes to bad breath, smoking will always supersede your efforts to freshen up. The only solution is to cut tobacco out of your life. The benefits of doing so extend well past fresher breath, and while it can be a challenge, it’s always worth it.
Is Bad Breath Dangerous?
If you often find yourself looking for tips on how to have fresh breath, you may start to wonder if chronic halitosis is a sign of more dangerous issues. The answer is complicated!
Directly speaking, bad breath itself is only a danger to your social life. It is largely a cosmetic issue. If you don’t treat bad breath, you won’t suffer from additional symptoms other than a worsening odor.
However, bad breath can be a sign of other issues. Anything from extreme bacteria growth to xerostomia or even life-threatening infections! If you take good care of your teeth and gums, but constantly struggle with bad breath, you should speak with your dentist to see if there’s a larger problem.
Keep Your Smile Healthy
We want to help you maintain good oral health and a beautiful smile. Regular teeth cleaning and dental check-ups are an important part of your routine, just like brushing and flossing. Schedule an appointment with us or call and take the first step toward keeping your smile radiant.
Grosse Pointe Farms: (313) 881-2480
Shelby Township: (586) 803-8300
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