DENTAL HEALTH: How To Get Rid Of Bad Breath And Mouth Odor

Bad breath is a sign of other health problems caused as a result of poor dental health habits. Bad breath (medically called halitosis) can get worsen by the nature of food we eat and other unhealthy habits...
We all know the foods we eat are basically broken down in the mouth. If food with strong odors are eaten like ginger, garlic or onions, mouthwash will only cover the smell temporarily. The odor will only subsidize after the foods have passed through the body. The consistent bad breath might be a symptom of gum disease. The gum disease is caused by the accumulation of plaque on teeth. When the gum disease deteriorates, it can result in damaged jawbone. Dental cavities, yeast infections and inadequate fitting of dental appliances are other dental causes of bad breath. Bacteria causes irritation of the gums and the formation of toxins, resulting into damaged gums which would lead to a periodontal disease.


WAYS OF CONTROLLING BAD BREATH

Practise a good oral hygiene. Ensure brushing your teeth twice a day with fluoride toothpaste to eliminate plaque and food leftovers. Brush your teeth after each meal and also brush the tongue. Replace your toothbrush within 2 - 3 months or specifically after an illness. Use an interdental cleaner to remove food particles and plaque between the teeth for atleast once in a day. Rinse your mouth with an antibacterial mouthwash twice a day. Endeavor to remove dentures at night before going to bed and placing in the mouth in the next morning after being cleaned thoroughly.


Visit your dentist regularly for atleast twice in a year. Oral exam will be conducted and also professional teeth cleaning in order to detect and treat any dental available disease that might have been caused by bad mouth odor.

Avoid smoking and chewing any other tobacco based products. More tips would be provided by your dentist on this


Drinking lots of water. This will keep the mouth moisturized. Taking gums and mints that contain xylitol are the very best, as you chew sugarless gum or sugarless candy, they help to stimulate the production of saliva helping wash away food particles and bacteria.

Keeping the records of the foods you eat. If you suspect any of the foods you are taking to be causing bad breath, then you can take the record to your dentist to supervise for you. Also, take record of the medications you use because that might also contribute to causing mouth odor. Give both records to your dentist to review and you will definately fish out the bad heads.

Dentist can always treat the cause of bad breath because the dentist determines better whether the mouth is healthy or not, if the odor is of oral origin or not. Your case might be transferred to a specialist or family doctor to determine the source of the bad breath and how to treat it. If the odor has to do with gum disease, then you will be referred to a periodontist (the kind of dentist who specialises in treatment of gum conditions) or your dentist either treats it.