Unfortunately bad breath (halitosis) can be a common problem at any stage of a person’s life. It obviously presents as an embarrassing problem for the individual concerned as well as for the people around them. It may be due to poor gum health therefore it is important to make sure that a high standard of mouth cleanliness is achieved everyday to keep bad odours at bay and of course seek advice as soon as possible from your dentist.
How do you know you have bad breath? You may notice people may step away from you when you start to talk or you notice staleness associated with your mouth. Sometimes a husband/wife, girlfriend/boyfriend may drop hints. You can test yourself if you lick the unperfumed part of your wrist and if the odour from it smells bad then you may have it.
Your dentist can examine your mouth and identify plaque trap areas or tooth decay and treat the problem areas as well as advise on oral hygiene.
Always drink plenty of water throughout the day and eat fresh fruit and vegetables, brush your teeth and gums twice a day with a good fluoride antiplaque toothpaste and floss at least once a day and don’t forget to clean your tongue. You can also use a mouthwash, spray (when you’re away from your bathroom) or sugar free chewing gum or sugar free mints. If you are a denture wearer take them out at night giving your mouth a rest. Clean your denture with a denture cream and soak in cold water with a denture cleaning tablet. Always may sure you clean the areas where your denture sits.
Your dentist can advise on specialist toothpastes, mouthwashes and sprays which deal effectively with Volatile Sulphur Compounds (VSC) which cause some bad breaths. These compounds are released from bacterial and human cell and food debris breakdown.
Of course there are other causes of bad breath some of which are due to dry mouth caused by some medicines, salivary gland problems or simply continual open mouth breathing. Your dentist can offer advice and solutions.
Medical problems associated with the nose and sinuses, chest, liver, kidney and endocrine e.g. Diabetes can also lead to a bad breath.
One of the biggest causes of bad breath is smoking. As well as causing bad breath smoking causes gum problems and early tooth loss, stained teeth and is the main cause of heart disease, lung and mouth cancer. So the best thing is to quit!
Always maintain regular visits to the dentist so problems can be spotted and treatment or advice can be started early. Remember most bad breath problems can be satisfactorily treated and overcome.