Allow us to shed some light on this often embarrassing and anxiety-inducing issue.
Firstly, bad breath is far more common than you may think! Approximately 50% of
the population suffer from the condition. Given how common bad breath is, it’s no
wonder that stores are overflowing with gum, mints, mouthwashes and other
products designed to fight bad breath. But these products are only temporary
measures and don’t address the cause of the issue. Lets look at the causes of bad
breath:
Dental Hygiene
The most common cause of bad breath is your mouth environment. If you don’t
brush and floss daily, food and bacteria in your mouth and creates an odour. A
tongue that hasn’t been brushed regularly can also trap excessive bacteria that
produce odours. Dentures that aren’t properly cleaned or aren’t well-fitting can
harbour odour-causing bacteria. Another cause of bad breath is gum disease, also
called Periodontitis. This should be treated on a regular basis by your dentist to
reduce bad breath odours.
Dry mouth
Certain medications that cause a dry mouth can indirectly cause bad breath. This is
because saliva helps cleanse and moisten the mouth, and when the body does not
produce enough saliva, bad breath may result. Medications that often cause dry
mouth may include anti-histamines that treat allergies, diuretics, anti-depressants
and anti-anxiety medications. Talk to your Dentist about how to manage this problem
with solutions such as maintaining regular hydration, chewing gum to stimulate
saliva, using dental products that induce saliva such as Biotene mouthwash and
Biotene toothpaste.
Medical conditions
If you suffer from bad breath and you have been cleared of any dental infections or
dry mouth and your oral hygiene is at a good level, there may be an underlying
medical condition causing this problem. There are a wide range of conditions ranging
from sinus problems, throat infections, digestive problems, liver and kidney diseases
that may be associated with bad breath. Your Dentist and GP should work together
to determine the root cause of this issue and find the treatment options that best suit
you.
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