Bad breath is a very common affliction, but it is not very well understood. Dentists see patients with a wide range of causes for their bad breath, and it is important to be aware of certain key facts if you want to avoid developing bad breath (or are wondering how to improve your breath right now).
1. Changing Up Brushing Habits Will Help
Most cases of bad breath are caused by chronically bad dental hygiene, which leads to a build-up of bacteria in your mouth. As a result, brushing your teeth twice a day (and using the right technique) can go a long way towards ensuring that you will have fresh breath. If you have recently noticed bad breath, thinking about how you approach brushing your teeth is a very good first step.
2. Certain Mouthwash Types Will Help
In addition to brushing your teeth, using a mouthwash that is antibacterial and contains an ingredient called cetylpyridinium chloride can help to reduce your chances of bad breath.
3. Another Excuse To Quit Smoking
A large percentage of other cases of bad breath are caused by smoking. If you are a smoker, you are not only more likely to develop bad breath but also more likely to have yellow teeth and you have a higher risk of developing oral cancer at some stage.
4. Ask Us About Artificial Saliva Products
If you have good dental hygiene and you do not smoke, bad breath can be linked to a lack of saliva that allows bacteria to build up in spite of your efforts to prevent it. This condition is called xerostomia, and it has many possible causes (ranging from common medications to salivary gland malfunctions). If you cannot treat the cause of a saliva deficit, you can compensate for it by talking to us about artificial saliva products that may neutralize bad breath.
5. Consult A Medical Doctor
In around 10% of cases, bad breath will be caused by underlying health problems that are not directly linked to oral health. The main examples are infections of the throat, kidney problems and chronic digestive system problems. Sometimes, you will need the help of a doctor as well as a dentist if you want to tackle bad breath.