You might occasionally have bad breath, like when you first wake up in the morning or when you eat something that’s heavy on garlic and onions. While occasional bad breath is normal, it’s possible to develop persistent bad breath, which is also known as halitosis. We’ll explore the causes of halitosis and what you can do to overcome it.
Signs of Halitosis
Apart from having bad breath, there are other symptoms that can help you identify the root cause of your halitosis. For example, your bad breath might be accompanied by stained or decaying teeth, a coating on your tongue, dry mouth, or gum abnormalities. All of these can help pinpoint the exact cause of your halitosis.
What Causes Halitosis?
There are some common causes of halitosis.
- Poor oral hygiene
- Poor diet
- Tobacco use
- Dry mouth
- Infections
Not brushing or flossing your teeth consistently twice a day can lead to bacteria overgrowth on your teeth and under the gumline, causing bad breath.
It’s important to eat a balanced, healthy diet in order to maintain proper oral and overall health. If you have a diet that is high in starches, sugars, and acids, you’re more likely to experience bacteria overgrowth which causes bad breath.
Smoking constricts blood flow, leading to dry mouth, which allows bacteria to flourish in your mouth.
Dry mouth is a condition that constricts your saliva production and makes it difficult to naturally wick away bacteria from the surface of your teeth and gums. There are a variety of causes of dry mouth, including tobacco use and certain medications.
If you have an infection in your mouth or throat, such as tonsil stones, you might experience bad breath.
Halitosis Treatment
Although breath-enhancing products like mouthwashes and sugar-free gums can temporarily mitigate bad breath, it’s important to treat the root cause of your bad breath to eliminate it altogether. Our Hillstream Dental team will work closely with you to identify the reason for your halitosis. Then we can create a treatment plan to improve your oral health step by step. For example, if the cause of your bad breath is lack of oral hygiene, we can conduct a deep cleaning of your teeth and gums to set you up for success. Or perhaps you need root canal therapy to heal a decaying tooth. No matter the cause, we’re here to help get your smile healthy again!
Affordable Comprehensive Dentistry in Rochester Hills & St. Clair Shores, MI
Hillstream Dental offers comprehensive dental services, including emergency services, to help a wide range of patients achieve and maintain healthy smiles. We also accept a wide variety of financing options so our patients don’t have to choose between their health and their budgets. Contact us today to schedule an appointment!
