Bad breath means an unpleasant, unusual, or offensive odor of the breath. It is also known as halitosis.
A person who has bad breath may not be aware of the odor. However, his or her friends or people who are close to them are generally aware of the problem.
What are the causes for bad breath?
Bad breath can be caused by many factors within the mouth. These are known as local factors. It may also be caused by systemic factors. Systemic factors can be any disease or condition of the body.
Some of local causes for bad breath are:
- Poor oral hygiene: when proper brushing and cleaning methods are not followed food remains in the mouth, which is a breeding ground for bacteria. These bacteria are known to causes odorous breath.
- smoking
- tooth abscess (collection of pus around the tooth)
- certain foods, such as garlic, onion etc
- alcohol intake
- mouth or throat infections, such as sore throat
- gingivitis, which is an inflammation of the gums
- periodontitis is an inflammation of the structures supporting the tooth
- sinus infection
- cold or flu
- nose infection
- overgrown tonsils catching food, which is common in children
- fungal infections in the mouth like candidiasis
Some diseases or conditions that may cause bad breath are:
- Drugs and medications
- Kidney disease
- Lung abscess (pus pocket within the lungs)
- Respiratory infections like Bronchitis etc
- Conditions that cause dry mouth (xerostomia) where the mouth becomes dry because of very low amount of saliva. This happens due to mouth breathing or salivary gland disorder.
- Digestive disorders
- Constipation
- Poorly controlled diabetes
- Liver disease
- Certain types of cancer
- HIV, infection with the human immunodeficiency virus.
How is it diagnosed?
It is difficult to self-diagnose bad breath. If bad breath is suspected, an examination by a doctor might be needed. A complete history and physical exam might detect an underlying disease or condition. Then further tests may be needed to arrive at the diagnosis.
What are the treatments for bad breath?
If bad breath does not subside by improving oral hygiene like brushing twice daily and gargling, a doctor should be consulted. Once the cause of bad breath is found, the treatment for the problem is started. Bad breath can then be solved quickly.
Treatment depends mainly on the underlying disease or condition. Therefore, various treatments are available for bad breath depending on the cause of bad breath like:
Poor oral health: If the bad breath is due to improper oral hygiene or of oral origin then a through check up and cleaning of the teeth by a dentist helps in reliving bad breath.
If diabetes, kidney disease, digestive disorders or any other systemic factors are the cause for bad breath they have to treated by a doctor. Then bad relives by itself once the treatment is started.
How can bad breath be prevented?
Prevention of bad breath starts with good oral hygiene.
One should brush twice daily and floss teeth especially after meals.
Don`t forget to clean your tongue.
If you can`t brush or floss after a meal, rinse with water.
Removable dentures should be taken out at night, cleaned, and soaked overnight.
Eat a balanced diet.
Chew on cloves or zeera, saunf after meals to freshen breath.
Drink plenty of water to keep mouth moist.
Avoid coffee or other drinks that leave breath smelling foul.
Someone in good health may have bad breath at times, such as in the morning after a long sleep. However, a person with persistent bad breath should see doctor.
Mouthwash is not an effective treatment for bad breath, since it hides the real cause. Mouthwash can also irritate the tissue in the mouth. Mouthwash and breath mints are only temporary solutions and may mask more serious problems.