It’s embarrassing enough that many people don’t want to talk about it, but bad breath isn’t as easily avoidable as conversation. The one person you should be talking about your bad breath with is your dentist, especially if you’ve tried to eliminate it and it won’t go away. When it’s more than just morning breath, the condition could indicate a more serious dental health issue that will have to be addressed before you can enjoy fresher breath.
Why Won’t It Go Away?
Bad breath isn’t typically something to worry about. It’s caused by a reduced saliva flow when you sleep, which allows gas-releasing oral bacteria to flourish. If eating a well-balanced breakfast and brushing your teeth doesn’t freshen your breath, then the problem may be more persistent. Common causes of chronic bad breath, or halitosis, often include;
- Poor hygiene—if you don’t brush and floss your teeth often enough, then food particles can cling onto and between your teeth, feeding oral bacteria. As time goes by, the food debris can also rot, giving off a strong, offensive odor.
- Poor dental health—besides bad breath, oral bacteria also cause gum disease and tooth decay, which involve deteriorating tooth structures and oral tissues that can taint your breath.
- Chronic dry mouth—if your saliva doesn’t flow normally when you’re awake, the resulting dry mouth (xerostomia) can create an oral environment similar to when you sleep, allowing even more bacteria to accumulate and multiply.
Advice for Fresher Breath
In most cases, improving your hygiene and seeking appropriate dental treatment for existing dental conditions will help you eliminate the embarrassment of bad breath, and avoid it in the future. Besides carefully brushing your teeth every day and flossing at least once, try;
- Drinking water more often, especially after meals
- Snack less often throughout the day to avoid overfeeding bacteria
- Use anti-bacterial mouthwash when you brush and floss, and to rinse with after snacking
- Chew sugar-less gum to promote a healthy flow of saliva
ABOUT YOUR FUQUAY VARINA DENTIST:
For over 15 years, Dr. Michele Collier and the talented professionals at Waterstone Family Dentistry have provided comfortable, compassionate dental care to patients of all ages from Fuquay Varina, NC, as well as Holly Springs, Angier, Willow Springs, Raleigh, and all surrounding communities. If you’d like to learn more, you can schedule a consultation with Dr. Collier by calling (919) 557-5250 today.
