Bad breath or halitosis can cause a lot of anxiety for people who are experiencing it.
In Winnipeg and all of Manitoba, including in Kildonan Crossing Dental Centre, masks are mandatory to prevent the spread of COVID-19. Getting used to wearing a mask takes time and more people are now faced with this struggle because masks allow them to smell their own breath more. They are now noticing bad breath that they may not have noticed before.
Symptoms
The odor is different depending on the person and the reason why they have bad breath. There are many who don’t even know that they have bad breath. Ask a trusted close relative or friend to know what your breath smells like.
Causes Of Bad Breath?
Bad breath is caused by many factors. These factors include:
- Poor dental hygiene habits: It’s common for a person who doesn’t practice daily oral hygiene to get bad breath. If you don’t brush and floss daily, food particles that are stuck between your teeth and gums will produce plaque. Plaque is a sticky film of bacteria that can cause irritation in your mouth. Make sure to clean your tongue daily too to avoid bacteria getting trapped and causing odor.
- Mouth infections: Oral surgery wounds can cause bad breath, as can tooth decay, gum disease or mouth sores.
- Food and Beverages: Certain kinds of food can cause your mouth to smell unpleasantly. Food such as garlic, onions and spices travel through your bloodstream and then your lungs after digestion which affects your breath. Consuming too much sugar or drinking a lot of acidic beverages such as coffee can increase the growth of bacteria that leads to odor. And not drinking enough water can also cause bad breath.
- Smoking: People who smoke cigarettes, tobacco and those who vape are also more likely to have gum disease, which is a cause of bad breath.
- Dry mouth: Saliva cleanses your mouth that helps remove odor-causing bacteria and particles. Your mouth gets dry when you sleep, which leads to morning breath. Chronic dry mouth is also a possibility which is caused by problems in your salivary glands and other diseases.
- Medications: As a side effect, some medications can cause bad breath and contribute to dry mouth.
- Tonsil stones: Also known as tonsiliths are calcium deposits that have built up from food particles, mucus and bacteria in the small pockets, cracks and spaces on your tonsils. These white or yellow stones can be a contributing factor to bad breath.
- Other causes: There are other mouth, nose and throat conditions that can lead to bad breath. Due to chemical changes in the body, diseases such as oral cancer and metabolic disorders can increase the likelihood of developing bad breath.
How To Prevent Bad Breath?
These tips will not only help you prevent bad breath, they can also improve both your dental and overall health.
- Good oral hygiene: Floss, use mouthwash and brush your teeth twice a day. Clean your tongue daily too. If you use dentures, it’s also essential to clean them daily – not doing so can leave food particles behind that can cause bacteria and gum disease.
- Drink water: Choosing water as your drink of choice will help cleanse your mouth and keep it hydrated and moisturized. Water will also neutralize any leftover acid in your mouth. Decreasing the number of sugary drinks you consume is also beneficial because sugar can cause tooth decay.
- Eat healthy foods: Having a balanced and healthy diet will provide nutrients for your teeth and gums, which can help prevent tooth decay and gum disease.
- Reduce alcohol and stop smoking or vaping: These habits can lead to dry mouth, inflammation, enamel damage, staining and oral cancer.
Talk To Your Dentist
It’s important to visit your dentist regularly. If you’re noticing that you have bad breath even after following the preventative measures we talked about, your dentist can answer any questions you have and they will help you find a solution.
Book an appointment with one of our friendly Winnipeg dentists at Kildonan Crossing Dental Centre and keep your mouth as healthy as possible with regular checkups and cleanings. Give us a call today at 204-663-6868.