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Do your friends or family members avoid you because of the bad smell that comes from your mouth when you talk? If yes, this piece of information is definitely going to be of use for you.
The problem of bad breath is annoying and it affects millions of people around the world. It interferes and disturbs people’s relationships with their spouses.
Many even stay socially disconnected because they shy away or fear communication with others. Many people fail to understand the reasons for bad breath and can’t find a solution for the problem.
A fresh breath adds confidence to your personality and puts back a smile on your face.
WHAT IS BAD BREATH? / BAD MOUTH SMELL
Bad breath is not a disease; rather it is a condition which can be reversed if addressed correctly. It may become a cause for many other oral health issues. Sometimes, it also gives an indication for other health problems. Most commonly it occurs due to improper maintenance of oral hygiene.
CAUSES OF BAD BREATH
The cause of bad breath may be different for each individual and thus it becomes important to find the exact reason and treat it accordingly. Following are the reasons for a bad odour from the mouth.
FOOD
Certain foods with a strong flavour like onions, garlic tend to leave behind the smell inside the mouth.
The smell is so strong sometimes that even brushing your teeth doesn’t solve the problem. It stays for few hours and disappears at its own time.
POOR ORAL HYGIENE:
If one fails to maintain oral hygiene by not brushing adequately, food particles remain on the teeth and around gums allowing growth of bacterial acids.
Tongue is another site which harbours plenty of bacteria contributing to bad breathing. Denture wearers may complain of foul smell if they do not clean their dentures regularly.
SMOKING & CHEWING TOBACCO
Smoking of cigarettes is one of the major reasons for a poor breath. The habit of smoking affects gums and the supporting bone (Periodontium) facilitating the spread of gum disease.
Progressed gum disease causes bad breath to occur. Smoking and tobacco use is also known to cause staining on teeth and an alteration in sensation of taste.
INFECTIONS IN MOUTH
Mouth infections like decayed teeth, gum disorders and mouth ulcers can lead to a bad smell from the mouth. If surgical wounds are not cleaned well, they can bring out a foul smell too.
Gum infection around an erupting wisdom tooth may harbour pus inside and cause bad breath.
MEDICATIONS
Certain medications used to treat high blood pressure and depression reduces the flow of saliva and causes the mouth to dry out. Some steroids are also responsible for dry mouth.
Decreased saliva results in a compromised cleansing action and produces a bad odour. Medicines used to treat serious infections may produce a metallic taste in the mouth and cause bad breath.
SYSTEMIC DISEASES
Other disorders of the body have their manifestations in the mouth. Disorders like Diabetes, Chronic acid reflux from the stomach, kidney and liver disorders produce a foul smell from the mouth.
Pneumonia and other infections of the throat, Sinus infections, tonsil infection may give rise to a bad smell coming from the mouth. Sometimes stress and dehydration can also be the reason behind bad breath.
DRY MOUTH
The effect of ageing can be seen on the saliva producing glands of the mouth. At old age saliva production drops down causing dry mouth.
Radiation therapy to cancer patients also makes the mouth dry. So, the plaque producing acids are not neutralised because of lack of saliva.This is the reason why people having signs of dry mouth are at a higher risk for bad breath and tooth decay.
There few home remedy for bad breath to get rid of your problems. And certainly you can avoid dentist visit