Top 3 Causes Of Bad Breath
Are you constantly self-conscious about the smell of your breath? Do you find yourself repeatedly reaching for a breath mint because you know your breath is less than ideal? It is not uncommon to experience bad breath from time to time, especially if you are a fan of drinking coffee and eating foods with garlic and onions. Many foods can lead to bad breath, but once you thoroughly brush and floss your teeth, the smell typically disappears. However, if you find that you are frequently experiencing breath issues, your mouth can be warning you of a problem with your oral health. Continue reading to learn what your breath may be telling you.
Causes of Bad Breath
Experiencing bad breath from time to time can happen to us all. If you find that you have frequent issues with bad breath and it is not caused by food, your mouth can be giving you a warning. Bad breath can be caused by issues such as:
Poor Oral Hygiene
One of the most common causes of bad breath is poor oral hygiene. If you are not caring for your teeth properly, it can lead to numerous issues, one of which is bad breath. When lingering food and bacteria remain in your mouth, between your teeth, and along your gumline, it can cause an unpleasant odor. This is one of the reasons we are passionate about our patients properly cleaning their teeth. This includes brushing thoroughly for two minutes a minimum of twice a day and flossing at least once a day.
Untreated Tooth Decay
If you have postponed a recommended dental treatment, it can lead to bad breath. Breath issues can also be due to undetected decay if it has been some time since your last visit. Similar to decaying food that has an odor, your decaying teeth can also smell bad. Untreated decay will continue to progress and lead to more severe issues.
Dry Mouth
This is caused by a lack of saliva in your mouth. Saliva is needed to help clean your mouth and rinse away any lingering food. As mentioned above, when food lingers in your mouth, it can lead to bad breath. Unfortunately, there are a number of medications that can lead to dry mouth. Be sure to drink plenty of water.
If you notice that you have frequent bad breath, we suggest calling our office located in Spring Hill, FL to schedule an appointment. If you have a problem with your oral health we want to determine the issue and create a treatment plan as soon as possible. We look forward to helping restore your oral health.
