Bad breath diminishes your self esteem. Like dental calculus, red and swollen gums or bleeding gums, bad breath is the result of teeth not being thoroughly cleaned. According to an oral health survey conducted by the Department of Health in 2001, 3 out of 4 adults reported having had bad breath. Are you one of them? Bad breath does not only affect your social life but also reflect your health status. Don't want to be bothered by bad breath? Find out the underlying reasons and treat them properly.
According to some overseas research reports, about 90 % of the cases of bad breath originate from the oral cavity. The offensive odour is mainly caused by volatile sulphur compounds that are the waste products created by anaerobic bacteria in the mouth as they digest proteins.
If the oral hygiene is poor, dental plaque will accumulate at the gum line (gum margin) and on the adjacent tooth surfaces, or if there is periodontal disease (gum disease, which leads to gum inflammation or periodontal pocket), the chance of having bad breath will be increased. In addition, if a person has tooth decay, oral infection such as abscess, pericoronitis etc or other infections such as throat infection, he or she can also have bad breath.
Different types of oral bacteria can be found in each person's oral cavity. If the oral hygiene is good, there is a slim chance of having bad breath. In most cases, bad breath is caused by anaerobic oral bacteria that accumulate in the "difficult to clean areas" such as the dorsal surface of a person's tongue, areas in-between the teeth and periodontal pockets. For people who wear dentures, if they have not thoroughly cleaned their dentures on a daily basis, dental plaque and food debris can accumulate on the denture and cause bad breath.
Food debris left in the mouth can become putrefied and gives you bad breath.
Smoking will not only cause bad breath but it will increase the chance of getting periodontal disease (gum disease) up to 5 times or more likely than non-smokers. Quit smoking and actively improve your oral hygiene can help eliminate bad breath as well as control the progression of periodontal disease (gum disease).
If a person has insufficient salivary flow, the oral cleansing function of saliva is reduced, and this may result in bad breath. As we sleep through the night, our salivary glands secrete less saliva, and the number of bacteria in our mouths increases. Therefore, you have probably noticed that your breath is least pleasant in the morning when you first wake up. The transient bad breath will disappear after toothbrushing. In addition, reduction in salivary flow that results in dry mouth may be a problem among some older adults.
Intake of strong flavoured food , such as onion and garlic can contribute to bad breath.
If your dentist diagnosed that your mouth is healthy, you may need to visit your family doctor to find out the cause of your bad breath. Problems with ear, nose, throat, digestive system or other parts of body may also cause bad breath.
We can see a dentist and find out whether the bad breath is caused by oral diseases such as periodontal disease (gum disease), dental caries or due to insufficient amount of saliva so that appropriate treatment can be done.
- Brush your teeth with fluoride toothpaste in the morning and at night and reduce the frequency of taking snacks to prevent dental decay.
- Pay attention to the gum line (gum margin) when you brush.
- Use dental floss to remove the dental plaque from the adjacent tooth surfaces. This will help prevent periodontal disease (gum disease).
- Denture users should take off the dentures before sleep. Clean them thoroughly and immerse them in a cup of water every night. Please click here to refer to cleaning method for dentures.
