4 Common Causes of Bad Breath You Should Know

July 13, 2020, Dentistry

There are a lot of factors that can contribute to the development of the unpleasant odor from the oral cavity. Some of them can be easily eliminated while others can be quite dangerous and may require immediate treatment.

It is important to understand that bad breath can be hard to recognize without help. However, it can significantly affect your life. Moreover, bad breath can spoil your relations with surrounding people since no one will not want to communicate with you. That’s why it is important to find the underlying cause of bad breath and get rid of it. In order to help you with this issue, we gathered these four common causes of bad breath you should know.

1. Smelly food

There are a lot of foods that can cause bad breath. If you are fond of garlic and onion, you should be careful after eating these foods because they can make your breath smell awful. The reality is that these foods are full of volatile aromatic substances that penetrate your bloodstream. After that, they reach your lungs and fill them. As a result, the exhaled air starts to smell like these aromatic substances.

You should also know that this king of halitosis is considered the most harmless. If you want to eliminate it, you can brush your teeth and use a mouthwash. A cup of water with lemon juice can also help reduce the smell. However, the most effective way out is to avoid consuming such foods at least a few hours before going out.

2. Tooth decay

Tooth decay or cavities can make your breath smell bad. You should know that cavities appear because of the overgrowth of harmful bacteria in your mouth. This happens when a person doesn’t maintain proper oral hygiene. These bacteria eat the food particles that stuck between your teeth. If you don’t brush your teeth twice a day and floss daily, you create a perfect environment for these bacteria.

During the vital activity, bacteria release acids that wear the tooth enamel. This leads to cavities that can also accumulate food and dental plaque. The only way out is to visit your dentist for filling cavities. Otherwise, you will have both tooth decay and bad breath.

3. Gum disease

Gum disease is a condition that affects gums. The main problem is that it can develop asymptomatically or with minor symptoms. However, in the people with the advanced stage of the condition, gum disease signs include:

• Gum inflammation
• Bleeding
• Gum recession
• Bad breath
• Loose teeth
• Toothache

You should understand that gum disease can be also caused by poor oral hygiene. If you have noticed at least some of the symptoms listed above, you should pay more attention to your oral cavity. It is also important to visit your dentist as soon as possible in order to prevent further complications.

4. Thrush

Thrush, also called oral candidiasis, is a condition that develops when the Candida fungi start to actively multiply in the mouth. The reality is that our body always has a small amount of these fungi but they don’t cause symptoms. However, then the environment becomes suitable, their number increases significantly. The most common causes of Candida overgrowth are pregnancy, medications, smoking, and diabetes.

People with thrush usually have white patches on the tongue, the roof of the mouth, gums, and inner sides of the cheeks. Despite the fact that early stages of thrush cause minor symptoms, advanced stages can lead to discomfort in the oral cavity and inflammation that may cause bad breath.

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