Worried You Have Bad Breath? Learn the Potential Causes

No one wants to imagine they have bad breath, but the reality is that we all will have halitosis in Newcastle at some time or another. Halitosis is often a temporary situation caused by eating highly flavoured foods like onions and garlic. In this case, there is nothing you can do but wait until the food has passed through your system.

Other well-known causes of bad breath include smoking and drinking coffee and tea. Ideally, if you smoke, it is best to quit if you can because it is bad for your general health and your oral health, increasing your risk of gum disease and tooth decay, neither of which smells pleasant. Otherwise, we’ve listed some of the most common causes of bad breath below.

  1. Poor Oral Care

This is the most common reason your breath may smell nasty because of food and dental plaque trapped around your teeth. Dental plaque contains bacteria that feast on leftover food particles, creating noxious smells. Regularly brushing and flossing your teeth helps remove food debris and eliminates most dental plaque.

  1. Untreated Dental Problems

If you fail to brush and floss regularly or don’t visit a dentist in Clarington frequently, your risk of oral disease increases substantially. Untreated dental problems can smell bad, especially if you have a severe tooth or gum infection. Visiting our dentist at West Bowmanville Family Dental regularly for checkups and cleans is the easiest and most cost-effective way you can prevent dental problems. Regular visits ensure any small issues are picked up quickly and treated before they can cause issues like bad breath.

  1. Medications

Many people need to take medications daily, but one common side effect is dry mouth or xerostomia. Saliva is essential for keeping the mouth fresh, clean and hygienic and preventing bad breath. If you cannot produce enough saliva, harmful bacteria and food debris are more likely to build up and cause unpleasant odours. If you have dry mouth, we may suggest you see your dentist more frequently for professional dental cleanings in Courtice. Having your teeth cleaned professionally helps remove plaque and tartar buildup, making it easier to maintain good oral health. We can also suggest other ways to treat xerostomia, such as using a saliva substitute. If prescription medications could cause your xerostomia, you may want to see your GP for further advice to see if they can change your medication or adjust the dosage.

  1. Snoring and Sleep Apnea

Snoring and sleep apnea are common problems that can cause dry mouth, so you are more likely to wake up with morning breath. Sleep apnea can disrupt sleep, potentially causing health problems, so it’s important to seek treatment if you have this condition. It is characterized by noisy snoring punctuated by frequent pauses in breath. This is because the muscles surrounding the throat that normally keep the airway open will relax during sleep, allowing the airway to collapse and become partially obstructed. Breathing restarts when the brain registers the fall in oxygen levels, usually with a loud snort or gasp. If we suspect you have sleep apnea, we may suggest you visit a sleep clinic to diagnose this issue properly. We can often treat mild to moderate sleep apnoea with a custom-made night splint that helps hold the airway open.

Sometimes the cause of bad breath isn’t dental related. Problems such as gastroesophageal reflux disease or GERD result in strong stomach acids flowing upwards back into the mouth. These can dry out the mouth, cause bad breath, and erode tooth enamel. If you have acid reflux disease, it’s worth seeing your GP for advice and treatment.

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