Bad breath will murder your social life, so it’s reasonable for you to want to figure out what may be causing it. Some causes, such as spicy foods, are easy to solve, but others may also indicate something serious.
How do I know if I have got bad breath? Well, people can maintain a distance from you, but may be too polite to tell you the real reason.
If you’re lucky, someone will just be direct and just tell you, but failing that, you can lick your wrist and smell your saliva – if it stinks, your breath probably will too.
So lets look at 5 of the main causes of bad breath.
1. Smoking
Are you a smoker? Smoking, in addition to many other obvious ways in which it is bad for you, makes your breath smell of stale smoke. It also irritates gums and can increase your risk of gum disease, which can also be a cause of bad breath.
Solution? Quitting smoking. (Click Here For Products To Help You Quit)
2. Food
Next is the food. If you like raw onions and garlic, simply choose between this particular passion and decent breath. Alcohol and coffee also affect your breath, but fortunately you can get rid of your bad breath by limiting their consumption.
Solution? Watch what you eat and drink.
Note that if you eat infrequently, or diet this can also cause bad breath. This is also the case if you are not eating enough carbohydrates.
3. Hygeine
Of course, if you’re casual about keeping your mouth clean, no amount of cutting back on the garlic will help. It is not enough to brush your teeth only in the morning.
Your mouth is full of bacteria that cause plaque, gum disease and tooth decay.
When bacteria are mixed with saliva and food trapped between teeth, it produces a bad smell. The bacteria can reside on the tongue, which also affect your bad breath.
Solution? Floss and brush at least twice a day. Use a toothbrush with soft bristles, and take time to clean the teeth and tongue scraping can also help.
You can also rinse with antibacterial mouthwash, but this does not replace brushing teeth, no matter what your friends tell you. Make sure you visit your dentist regularly.
4. Gum Disease
So now that you are aware of these issues you are brushing twice a day and flossing, avoiding garlic and smoking but you are still suffering! What could it be?
You might have gum disease or dental decay and you should make an appointment to see your dentist immediately.
5. Medical Problems
Although this is rare, really bad breath could indicate a medical condition.
For example, your mouth could not produce enough saliva, or you could have an infection in the lungs, throat or nose. Bad breath also may indicate that you have diabetes, liver or kidney problems, or that you suffer from heartburn.
If you have been cleaning your mouth thouroughly and bad breath persists, you should immediately consult your doctor.
Recent studies have confirmed that poor oral hygiene, can increase the risk of heart attack.
Poor hygiene can lead to bleeding gums, which provide the bacteria with a route into the bloodstream, where they can initiate blood clots leading to heart disease.