For any individual, it is difficult to know whether his or her breath is bad. The oral cavity is connected to the nose at the back of the mouth. Because of this most odors of the mouth are filtered out of the nose. It is therefore possible to have less than pleasing breath and still not be aware of it.
Causes of Foul Breath
Bad breath causes are many. Some of the causes are listed below:
Poorly maintained oral hygiene. This includes improper brushing of the teeth and flossing.
Disease of the gums.
Eating foods with strong odors such as onion, garlic, etc.
Overuse of tobacco products.
Medical conditions that lead to dry mouth. It can be even due to certain medications.
Bronchitis, pneumonia, etc., can cause the breath to smell
Systemic diseases such as cancer and disorder of the liver, kidney, etc.
'Morning breath' is a common condition in most individuals in which bad odor emanates from the mouth because of reduced saliva flow in the night. This condition can be eliminated with proper brushing and flossing the teeth properly. However, if you have halitosis, foul smelling breath is prevalent most of the time. It can be detected by covering your nose and mouth with your hand, exhaling and smelling the breath. If the bad smell persists even after proper brushing, you have bad breath. Many people think that prevalence of a bad taste in mouth is due to halitosis. However, this is a poor indicator.
How to Treat Bad Breath
Having smelly breath is a socially distressing condition and can cause embarrassment and in worse cases lead to social isolation and other sever problems. However, if the cause of bad breath can be identified, it can be done away with a proper treatment plan in place.
Listed below are three possible ways in which you can cure bad breath:
1. Removing Plaque Buildup and Good Oral Care
If the cause of bad breath is poor oral hygiene, it is a good idea to visit a professional dentist who would provide guidance on the correct way to brush the teeth and floss regularly. The dentist may also advise to clean the tongue gently during the time of brushing to remove the excess plaque build-up. An antimicrobial mouthwash also serves to help.
2. Treating Gum Disease
If the underlying cause for the bad breath is gum disease, it is a good idea to contact a periodontist. The clean-up by the periodontist would effectively remove the deposits and bacteria that have accumulated below the gums and this helps to cure the emanating bad breath.
3. Medication for an underlying disorder
If chronic sinusitis causes the bad breath, the regular use of a saline nasal spray may help. A course of specific antibiotics may kill the overgrowth of sulfur producing anaerobic bacteria which is causing the bad breath.
The doctor or dentist would be able to identify the exact cause of the halitosis and recommend an effective method of treatment. You can visit this website for more information and additional help on halitosis and its effective treatment.
Bad BreathOkan is the creator of www.howtotreatbadbreath.org [http://www.howtotreatbadbreath.org], an online site dedicated to helping people eliminate the problem of chronic bad breath once and for all.