Effective Remedies for Bad breath: Freshen your breath naturally
What is halitosis?
It is the medical term for bad breath. When the breath smells bad beyond a socially acceptable level, it is not considered normal. However, it is a widespread condition,, affecting 1 out of 4 people. Halitosis presents itself as a symptom. It is not a sickness in and of itself. Underlying poor oral hygiene or in general underlying body health issues may present themselves as bad breath from mouth.
How does halitosis affect a person?
One serious side effect of bad breath is low self-esteem. First impressions are the best impressions. This includes fresh smelling breath, clean, white teeth, a good smile, good clothes, and well-kept hair. But for some, just popping a mint or two might not work out every time to tackle bad breath, and this can lead to anxiety and behavioral-issues.
Causes of bad breath:
Poor oral hygiene:
Irregular and improper brushing habits lead to decaying teeth and gum problems, which harbor harmful bacteria, leading to foul smell.
Gum disease:
When the disease begins, enlarged gums lead to gum pockets. where there is a buildup of plaque. The bacteria in the dental plaque produce sulfur compounds, which lead to bad breath. Food choices: Garlic and onions contain sulfur compounds, which lead to bad breath. Caffeine in Coffee can lead to dry mouth, causing halitosis. Similarly, alcohol has an effect on drying up the mouth. Spicy foods lead to gastric irritation and acid reflux, which make the mouth stink.
Gerd: Gastroesophageal reflux disease is when stomach acid refluxes back into the esophagus. The refluxed acid,, along with undigested food particles and bile, reach the esophagus and the mouth, leading to bad breath.
Dry mouth: saliva clears out the oral cavity, keeping it fresh. When there are under functioning glands that produce saliva or the patient is a mouth breather, it leads to dry mouth, which leads to halitosis. Conditions such as salivary gland stones, salivary gland swelling, salivary gland infection, salivary gland dysfunction, and salivary gland tumors lead to reduced saliva production.
Smoking: smoking causes cigarette breath and also causes dry mouth, which leads to halitosis. Smoking also leads to gum disease, which can lead to halitosis again. Underlying health issues such as Diabetes, liver disease, and kidney disease
Simple Home remedies for freshening your breath:
Proper oral hygiene: includes brushing twice daily, flossing once daily, tongue scraping, and using mouth washes, must be practiced.
Stay hydrated: dehydration leads to dry mouth, which causes bad breath. Drinking water at frequent intervals keeps the mouth moist, removes food debris between the teeth and clears away the harmful bacteria.
Tongue cleaning: volatile sulfur compounds lead to bad breath. Tongue scraping removes 75% of these compounds. Tongue cleaning reduced the bacterial count on the tongue.
Chewing sugar-free gum: This helps to temporarily stimulate saliva production. Enhanced saliva clears food debris and keeps the mouth clean. This freshens the breath. Natural mouthwashes: such as diluted apple cider vinegar, help reduce the buildup of plaque. Dietary changes to prevent bad breath: Avoid strong-smelling foods Eat fresh herbs Consume crunchy fruits and vegetables
Visiting a dentist:
when the bad breath remains, even after following proper oral hygiene methods, its time to visit the dentist. For more chronic bad breath problem related to medical conditions, a general medicine doctor’s advise is preferred to get to the root of the cause of halitosis.
Conclusion
Follow proper oral hygiene, healthy diet, hydrating frequently, and quitting habits like smoking and alcohol. Visit us at solitaire family dentistry, Best Dental Hospital in Kukatpally, to review the oral hygiene status and do the needful. Contact us at 6281497455