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Bad Breath (Halitosis) Causes and Remedies

Brushing twice a day, flossing after eating and avoiding the excessive usage of odorous foods are among the famous dental hygiene tips of the day. If you don’t follow such daily dental care then you may face several dental problems like teeth sensitivity, dental plaque and bad breath (halitosis) because poor oral hygiene is among the major bad breath causes or reasons.

What Is Halitosis (Bad Breath)?

Bad breath is a medical term that is also called halitosis where a person’s breath may have an unpleasant smell and it becomes a very awkward and shameful experience while attending public gatherings.

What Is the Main Cause of Bad Breath?

The main cause of bad breath (halitosis) is the bacterial growth in the mouth. Such bacteria release the different odorous compounds like sulfur that makes the breath smell bad. Poor oral hygiene routine is among the primary reasons for bacterial growth in the mouth and that’s why it is counted at top while mentioning major bad breath causes. There may be some other causes of bad breath gum disease that should be found out while consulting with your dentist.

What Causes Bad Breath from the Stomach?

There is a specific bad breath medical term where the halitosis (bad breath) is caused by the stomach. Poor oral hygiene is not much responsible for this kind of bad breath because its major reason is something else. There is a certain disease known as Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) where the stomach acid may flow backward to the esophagus and this reverse flow of stomach acid may also disturb the whole esophagus function and it may cause extreme discomfort.

One of the most promising symptoms of such bad breath is the extreme poor odor – just like poop. You must immediately consult with an expert dentist, if you feel such bad breath (halitosis) even after brushing.

What Causes Bad Breath Even After Brushing?

Young boy brushing for bad breath

Usually, poor oral hygiene routine (like not brushing twice a day) is considered as the primary bad breath reasons; however, it may also be caused by many other reasons. Several kinds of mouth infections can also cause the bad breath; moreover, sinus infections can also cause the bad breath. Furthermore, diabetes, kidney disease or any kind of gastric reflux can also be one of the reasons for bad breath gum disease.

Is Bad Breath Curable?

Yes! Bad breath is curable; in fact, there are so many treatment options that may help you to get rid of bad breath. Most suitable bad breath remedy would depend on your specific case of how your halitosis is developed over time.

For some people, only a good mouth rinse and fluoride toothpaste can be the best bad breath cure; while, for others there need some advanced dental treatments for bad breath gum disease. For example, if a person is having a bad breath due to gum disease then he/she needs to see a general dentist or an orthodontist for the more complex cases.

How Can I Get Rid of My Bad Breath at Home?

If you want to get rid of bad breath, which medical term is halitosis, then you need to start from these notable home remedies.

Brushing after Eating

You should brush your teeth after eating, especially after dinner, so no food particles are left behind in your teeth for the whole night because if they are left then they may start to interact with bacteria to release bad smell gasses.

Flossing Daily

Woman flossing her front teeth

Flossing means pulling out any food particles that are stuck in your teeth gaps. You should try to floss at least once a day to stay away from bad breath because these leftover food particles are among major sources of bacteria growth.

Brushing Tongue as Well

Woman brushing her tongue

Most people don’t bother to brush their tongue while brushing their teeth because they don’t know how important it is to brush the tongue as well. Our tongue may contain thousands of bacteria after a meal that need to be wiped away from the tongue; otherwise, they may multiply themselves very quickly and it becomes a major cause of bad breath. So, always brush your tongue as well while brushing your teeth.

Stay Hydrated

Drink enough water to avoid the dry mouth because dry mouth is among the favorite environments for the bacteria, so stay hydrated and try to drink water after every couple of hours so no bacteria can stay in your mouth for more time. You can also use gum-free chewing gums to increase saliva production in that manner.

Reduce the Odorous Foods

If you may feel the beginning of halitosis, try to avoid the odorous foods like onions, garlic or sugary foods till the recovery from halitosis because they may stimulate the bad breath reasons.

Consume Oral Friendly Foods More

Some vegetables around plate

There are some surprising foods for oral health and hygiene that can actually support your oral health as opposed to harmful sugary foods, so try to consume the oral friendly foods more after the notable symptoms of halitosis. Such oral friendly foods may help you get rid of bacterial growth, inflammation caused by bacteria and the bad breath as well.

In a Nutshell

Bad breath is a condition where your breath may have some unpleasant odors due to multiple reasons. The major reason for the bad breath (halitosis) is the poor oral hygiene. There are some other causes of bad breath as well because some people may face halitosis even after regular brushing. One of the most notable bad breath reasons, apart from poor oral hygiene, is the stomach’s problem (Gastroesophageal reflux disease – GERD). In GERD, the stomach acid travels back into the esophagus and disturbs the normal flow. It may also cause the esophagus pain as well and it is the worst form of bad breath because your breath may smell like poop in such a scenario.

If you are in the early stages of halitosis where you only had skipped some daily dental care routines then you may get rid of it by using some mouth rinse or fluoride toothpaste; otherwise, you may need to book appointment for dental checkup in Glen Burnie, so your advanced halitosis can be resolved under the expert supervision.

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