Most dentists have seen their fair
share of patients with bad breath, and if you have been turning people away
because of your chronic halitosis, it may be time to make an appointment with your dentist.
A number of things including poor oral
hygiene can cause chronic bad breath. Brushing once and flossing twice a day
can help your chronic bad breath, but if tooth decay and gum disease have set
in, you may need a deep cleaning to get rid of the plaque and tartar.
When you schedule an appointment your dentist will be able to determine if your teeth
and gums cause your bad breath. If it is something else entirely, Dr. Barkley may recommend that you see your doctor.
Bad breath can also be caused by certain
physical conditions including diabetes, kidney, or liver disease. Other
conditions that may be causing your bad breath include bronchitis, colds, and
sinusitis, and of course, tooth and gum infections. Respiratory tract infections
will eventually break down the tissue beginning a cell flow loaded with mucus
that will feed the bacteria in your mouth causing halitosis.
It’s a fact that you cannot smell your own
breath, which is a shame really, as that new colleague that you were out to
impress just may be turned off by the foul smell coming from your mouth.
Your mouth houses billions of bacteria and
literally grows faster than weeds. Bacteria will thrive on every surface in
your mouth including your gums, cheeks, teeth, and tongue. Bacteria produces waste giving you the breath
that sends others running for the hills. Just like all living creatures,
bacteria has to get rid of the waste somewhere, and when it’s your mouth that
is producing the bacteria, the waste ends up in between your teeth and below
your gum line.
Talk to your dentist the next
time you have a check up if you are constantly dealing with chronic bad breath.
If your halitosis is a direct result of your oral hygiene, Dr. Barkley can
help.
