Bad breath is a very disturbing condition for ourselves let alone other people. In fact, sometimes many people don't realize that they have bad breath, which can make a bad impression on other people. Imagine if you have an important event and the first impression that other people get from you is bad breath? Surely other people can feel uncomfortable when chatting with you, or they can keep their distance and hinder your interactions with these other people.
Bad breath is something that many adults experience. One example of bad breath that is normal for everyone is when they consume strong-smelling foods and drinks, for example, onions, durian, bananas, and so on. But, bad breath that isn't caused by food or drink is a condition that shouldn't be considered normal and just let it be, because bad breath can be a sign that something is wrong with the condition of hygiene or the health of your teeth and mouth.
Here are some of the reasons someone suffers from bad breath:
- Bacteria
The appearance of bad breath can be caused by bacteria that live in our mouths. If you don't clean your teeth properly, the bacteria in your mouth will eat the leftovers and make your mouth a nest for them. Well, it is this bacteria that will produce an unpleasant odor in your mouth.
- Dry Mouth
Dry mouth condition is when a person cannot produce enough saliva, which can be caused by certain health conditions or medications. Saliva itself has a very important role to help clean your mouth and teeth from food debris.
- Gum Disease
Bad breath that doesn't go away, plus a strange taste on your tongue is a sign that the condition is caused by gum disease. Well, gum disease itself is also caused by the presence of dental plaque or food waste substances produced by bacteria in the mouth.
- Smoking habit
Not only does it make your teeth yellow, smoking is also one of the reasons your mouth smells bad. Even the tobacco in cigarettes also reduces the tongue's ability to taste food, and also irritates the gum tissue.
- Medical Conditions
If you have checked with your dentist and there are no hygiene or health problems with your teeth and mouth, then the bad breath you are suffering from could be caused by medical conditions such as sinus, stomach acid, diabetes, liver or kidney disease.
Â
So, how do you stop having bad breath?
- Brush Teeth and Flossing Regularly
Besides having to diligently brush your teeth twice a day, flossing once a day can also help remove food debris stuck in your teeth.
- Mouthwash
Mouthwash can help kill bacteria in the mouth and help get rid of bad breath. But this method is only temporary and you shouldn't just rely on mouthwash to get rid of bad breath.
- Clean Your Dentures
If you have removable dentures, it is very important and mandatory for you to clean them regularly when you take them out, and make sure you put them back on in a clean and hygienic condition.
- Saliva Production
To stimulate saliva production, you can eat healthy foods that need to be chewed many times, for example apples or carrots. You can also chew gum that is not sweet or without sugar.
- Quit smoking
Not only for the sake of the health of your teeth and mouth, quitting smoking can also reduce the risk of severe diseases that can attack your body.
- Check the Condition of the Teeth to the Dentist
And what is no less important, go to the dentist regularly to do scaling or cleaning tartar so that you always avoid bad breath.
Â
Ref.: https://www.mouthhealthy.org/all-topics-a-z/bad-breath