Bad Breath (Halitosis)

Bad breath is an unpleasant and embarrassing condition. Some people are not even aware that they have a problem. If you are worried about bad breath, see your dentist so he or she can identify the cause and come up with ways to eliminate it.

Bad breath is caused by a variety of problems from diet, dental issues and even medical conditions.

Certain foods such as garlic or onions can cause an offense odor, and once absorbed into the bloodstream can transfer to the lungs and skin, causing any exhaled air to be offensive as well. Until the odors are completely eliminated from the body, tooth brushing, mouthwash, and flossing will only temporarily mask the odor. If your bad breath is due to frequent ingestion of aromatic foods, you can decrease the amount you eat of those foods.

People who diet often can also experience unpleasant breath due to the infrequency of eating. Chewing food increases salivary production, which naturally cleanses the oral cavity. In addition, it is important to drink enough water daily to produce adequate amounts of saliva. Proper amounts of salivary flow are necessary to maintain a healthy mouth environment.

If you do not brush and floss daily, food particles can remain in the mouth. Besides the presence of rotting food, oral bacteria can live off the left over food particles and emit offensive odors by themselves or can cause tooth decay and gum disease which can also cause embarrassing breath. As important as it is to properly clean your teeth at home, it is also important to have dental check-ups annually and get your teeth professionally cleaned at least twice a year.

Halitosis may be a sign of a medical disorder such as sinusitis, respiratory infection, diabetes, gastric issues, liver or kidney problems. Even tonsil stones, clusters of calcified material that form in the tonsillar crypts, can cause a bad taste and smell from the back of the throat.

If you suffer from bad breath, and have not seen a dentist recently, schedule an appointment with our office so we can help identify the cause.