What is Good for Bad Breath? What Causes Bad Breath?
Bad breath, known as halitosis in the medical literature, is a problem that should be taken seriously and causes discomfort to the person and the people around him. A person who complains of bad breath may engage in behaviors such as chewing gum, gargling or using mint products. With such products, bad breath can only be prevented temporarily. If the main problem causing bad breath is not found and treated, bad breath can turn into a constantly encountered daily problem. While this situation may occur as a result of reasons such as certain foods consumed, not paying enough attention to dental and tongue hygiene, some gastrointestinal diseases may also cause bad breath.
What Causes Bad Breath?
Bad breath complaints can develop for different reasons; however, most bad breath problems begin in a person’s mouth. One of the most common reasons is not paying attention to oral and dental health.
As food particles break down on and around tooth surfaces, they can lead to more bacteria in the mouth. Over time, food residues can cause changes in tooth structure. Especially if the teeth are not brushed, a colorless, sticky bacterial layer called plaque forms on the teeth, resulting in an increase in the bacterial population in the mouth. Plaque that develops can cause a variety of health problems, such as gingivitis and tooth decay, and can create an unpleasant odor in the mouth.
If you have dentures in your mouth, not cleaning them regularly can also result in an increased bacterial population that can cause odor. If tongue cleaning is not paid attention to, odor-producing bacteria can also colonize the tongue. For this reason, oral hygiene should not be considered only as teeth cleaning and tongue cleaning should not be neglected.
The complaint of bad breath in the mouth may also develop due to the foods consumed. Foods containing onion, garlic and intense spices can create an unpleasant odor in people’s mouths. Following the consumption of such foods, the components they contain will be transmitted to the lungs through the bloodstream and carried out from there, which may adversely affect breathing. Odor complaints that develop with food consumption usually disappear after stopping the consumption of food.
People with dry mouth problems often complain of an unpleasant odor in their mouth. Saliva helps remove particles from the mouth that may cause bad odors and cleans the mouth. Since people with dry mouth cannot produce enough saliva, maintaining oral hygiene may be more challenging for them.
If people sleep with their mouths open, the discomfort may worsen and a more serious bad breath problem may occur. Some medications used may cause dry mouth and may also increase the complaint of odor.
An unpleasant odor in the breath may be a sign of an infectious condition. After surgical procedures such as tooth extraction, tooth decay, gum disease or infection of the wounds in the mouth, an unpleasant odor in the breath can be felt by both the person himself and the people around him.
Apart from oral health, small stones formed in the tonsils can increase the bacterial population and cause odor. The development of infection in the sinuses, nose and throat and the development of constant postnasal drip can also cause odor.
The complaint of bad breath may also be related to disorders in the digestive system. Symptoms of gastroesophageal reflux disease include constant heartburn and accompanying bad breath complaints.
In cases where bad breath complaints occur in childhood, different issues other than dental health are suspected. Foreign objects, such as food particles stuck in the nostril, can cause bad breath in young children.
What is Good for Bad Breath?
In order to eliminate the complaint of bad breath, the cause of it must be determined. In this way, a permanent solution to the problem can be found. In case of bad breath complaints, which are generally related to oral health, treatments are performed to help prevent caries and reduce the risk of gum disease.
If there is an existing condition such as tooth decay or infection, steps can be taken to prevent the development of bad breath again after the main health problem is treated with the necessary procedures.
If the odor is caused by bacterial accumulations called plaque on the teeth, the dentist may recommend special mouthwashes to cleanse the mouth from bacteria. In addition, toothpastes containing antibacterial substances can also be used.
In cases where the development of bad breath is caused by a different disease, the odor complaint may decrease or disappear completely by treating this disease. For example, if you experience bad breath due to an upper respiratory tract infection, this complaint may disappear as the infection heals. In cases such as gastroesophageal reflux disease, treatments administered under the supervision of a physician can improve the person’s daily quality of life and reduce the complaint of bad breath over time.
How to Prevent Bad Breath?
Various steps can be taken to reduce or prevent bad breath. Teeth can be brushed after meals and floss can be used at least once a day. In this way, the development of plaque on the teeth or the increase in the bacterial population due to food remaining between the teeth can be prevented. It should not be neglected that the tongue should be brushed while brushing teeth.
Tooth and gum diseases are closely related to bad breath. By planning regular dental examinations, any oral health problem that may develop can be detected and prevented in advance. In this way, the development of more serious problems such as bad breath or tooth loss can be prevented.
Keeping the mouth moist is also extremely important in preventing the development of bad breath. Consuming plenty of water can support adequate saliva secretion. Apart from this, consuming too much caffeine and spicy food should also be avoided.
In case of a dry mouth complaint, keeping the mouth moist can be supported by chewing gum or using medications prescribed by the doctor. Thus, odor development can be prevented.
If the odor complaint is periodic, the underlying cause of this situation may be the food consumed. Consumption of foods that may cause bad breath, such as onion and garlic, can be limited. Sugar consumption should also be limited, as consuming too much sugary food may increase the complaint of bad breath.
What are the natural methods for bad breath?
Bad breath complaints can be controlled with some natural methods that can be applied at home. Some of the natural methods for bad breath can be listed as follows;
- increase water consumption
- Adding probiotic foods such as yoghurt, sauerkraut and kefir to your daily diet
- Pay attention to the consumption of hard and fiber-rich fruits and vegetables
- Avoiding sweet consumption
- Chewing gum other than sugar gum
- Gargling regularly with sage gargle
An unpleasant odor in the breath may occur due to different reasons. In order to find a permanent solution to this complaint, the main health problem causing bad breath must be identified.
The cause of bad breath can be found as a result of examinations performed by dentists, internal medicine doctors or gastroenterology doctors. Depending on the main cause detected, a treatment plan can be made when necessary, or the complaint of bad breath can be eliminated with daily measures such as regular tooth brushing and limiting the consumption of certain foods.
