We have all experienced bad breath at some point in our lives. An unpleasant smell that embarrasses us and we have done many ways to avoid it. Of course, don’t forget that in a normal state and even without having a disease and the presence of bacteria in the mouth, our mouth has a natural smell, which is called Human Odor.
But when this natural smell takes on an unpleasant smell, it is called halitosis, a disease known in the medical world as bad breath, and the cause may be the condition of the teeth, mouth, or more serious health problems. Today, in this article, we intend to take a closer look at this bad smell, its solutions and also its treatment. If you are also looking for a solution to get rid of bad breath, we suggest that you stay with us until the end of this article.
What is halitosis?
Halitosis is the medical term for bad breath. We’ve all experienced bad breath, especially after eating foods like garlic, onions, or other strongly scented foods. This type of mouth odor disappears after a few days of washing. But when bad breath is permanent and chronic, it means that you have a health problem related to your mouth and teeth, or a health problem that affects other parts of your body.
Note that halitosis can be a warning sign. An alarm that reports critical conditions. In fact, by relying on this condition, you can check the condition of the body. Also, finding the root cause of bad breath is the first step to treating this problem.
It is not bad to know that halitosis is a common complication in the whole world, to the extent that one out of every 4 people is affected by it. Research has shown that about 31.8% of the world’s population suffers from this condition.
The cause of bad breath
Well, in the following we are going to examine the most common causes of bad breath:
Poor oral hygiene
The most common cause of bad breath is lack of oral hygiene. Without a daily routine to clean your teeth and mouth, bacteria can grow uncontrollably in your mouth. In addition to bad breath, the excessive growth of these bacteria causes other problems such as tooth decay and gum-related diseases.
Most of the time, the combination of these harmful bacteria with food residue left in the mouth and teeth produces an unpleasant smell. Brushing, flossing and cleaning the mouth with mouthwash will help to get rid of this bad breath.
Foods and drinks with strong aromas
During the digestion of foods such as onions, garlic or some other foods that have a spicy aroma, our stomach absorbs the oil of these materials, this oil enters the bloodstream and then the lungs. This issue causes bad breath that lasts up to 72 hours.
smoking
Smoking is another cause of bad breath. Smoking dries out the mouth, which makes bad breath even worse.
dry mouth
If our mouth does not have enough saliva, there is a possibility of dry mouth. Don’t forget that saliva helps keep the mouth clean and also reduces bad breath.
Periodontal disease
Periodontal disease occurs when harmful plaque builds up on the teeth, leading to the production of plaque. These particles are not removed by brushing, and washing only irritates the gums. These masses may create gaps between the teeth. A perfect environment for the accumulation of food, as a result of which food accumulates in these areas, bad breath begins.
Diseases of the mouth, sinuses or throat
Diseases such as sinus infection, chronic bronchitis, as well as upper or lower respiratory tract infections may be the cause of bad breath.
On the other hand, bad and unusual mouth odor can be the symptoms of some other diseases. Including:
- diabetes
- sleep apnea
- Kidney disease or failure
- Liver disease or failure
- Gastroesophageal reflux disorder
You can go to the best gastroenterology doctor in Tehran to treat gastroesophageal reflux disease.
What are the symptoms of halitosis?
As it is known, the main symptom of this condition is bad breath. A bad smell that doesn’t go away even with mouth and teeth washing and others notice it while talking. But besides this unpleasant smell, bad taste in the mouth is another symptom of the disease. If this bad taste in the mouth is due to other underlying diseases, it will not disappear by washing.
When to see a doctor?
If you have been suffering from bad breath for a long time and no home remedies have worked for it, it is time to see a specialist. You can get help from a dentist in the first step for diagnosis and treatment. If the cause of bad breath is not due to the health of the mouth and teeth, you should go to other specialists. But the first step is to see a dentist. To find a dentist, you can get help from the Dermankede website.
Treatment of bad breath
The treatment of bad breath depends on its cause. If underlying diseases are the cause of this complication, you should treat them. But if the bad smell is due to dental plaque and decay, you can eliminate this bad smell by removing plaque and repairing the teeth. In addition, the following solutions reduce the possibility of bad breath:
- eat zinc
- Drink green tea
- Drink a lot of water
- Brush your teeth the right way
- Floss your teeth regularly
- Eat more fruits and vegetables
- Consume dairy products such as yogurt and milk
- Use mouthwash suitable for your teeth
Detection of bad breath
Diagnosis of bad breath is done in an initial examination by a dentist. During the examination session, the doctor tries to find out the cause of the incident with questions and answers. Do you brush your teeth regularly? What foods do you eat the most? Do you take any special medicine? And… are among the questions that you will be asked. In addition, to diagnose bad breath, your doctor will smell your mouth, nose and breath to find its source. As we said above, if the bad smell is not due to oral and dental problems, they recommend you to see a general practitioner. The purpose of this work is to diagnose other underlying diseases, of which bad breath is one of the symptoms.
