Tremont Dental Care's Top Ten Causes of Bad Breathe
Posted by
DR. LIM on Mon, Jun 20, 2011 @ 10:52 AM
1. Oral hygiene- Maintaining good oral health is essential in reducing bad breath.
2. Morning breath- Waking up with morning breath can leave your mouth feeling dry and grimy, a thorough brushing and flossing in the morning is the best way to target this.
3. Foods you've eaten- Food you eat affects the air you exhale, especially foods with strong aromatic flavors like onions and garlic.
4. Sinus infection and allergies- Odor-causing bacteria are attracted to the proteins in mucous and phlegm.
5. Gum Disease- Periodontal disease is a bacterial infection in the tissue surrounding the teeth. People who suffer from gum disease are more prone to persistent bad breath because of the buildup of bacteria.
6. Dry mouth- Dry mouth occurs when the flow of saliva decreases in your mouth. Chewing a sugar-free gum is a great way to increase saliva production.
7. Smoking- Not only does smoking leave behind the tell-tale ashtray odor, the smoke actually affects the flow of saliva in the mouth, which causes dry mouth.
8. Untreated medical conditions- Persistent bad breath can be a sign of other serious health problems such as a respiratory tract infection, chronic sinusitis, postnasal drip, chronic bronchitis, diabetes, and gastrointestinal disorder.
9. Dentures- Good oral hygiene practices apply to dentures as well, just like natural teeth, visiting your dentist regularly to ensure your gums are healthy is very important.
10. Tongue- Your tongue is one of the most common causes of bad breath. Cleaning your tongue regularly can make a huge difference in the quality of your breath.