Oral hygiene: Causes of bad breath and how to deal with it 

Bad breath is an important issue that needs to be given close attention. This could be caused by unconscious actions that are not considered trivial to many. 

Oral hygiene plays an important role in an individual’s relationships with friends, co-workers, and family.

Bad breath, also referred to as halitosis, is usually associated with poor oral hygiene. It could be as a result of poor hygiene or medical conditions.

However, several reasons could lead to bad breath. This can be looked into to help you improve your oral hygiene for better relationships and communication. 

This article will help you to recognise the reasons contributing  to bad breath and how to take precautions that would help you put an end to it.

1. Poor oral hygiene 

This is one of the major contributors to bad breath. The most popular instructions on every dental advertisement on TV, toothpaste packs, and even toothbrushes, advise us to brush our teeth in the morning and before going to bed. This is for proper dental hygiene. 

Bacteria produced out of the remnants of meals eaten cause bad breath, and this is a reason our mouths need to be washed regularly with an appropriate toothpaste or mouthwash.

2. Certain food intake

The breakdown of certain foods hidden around your teeth contributes to having bad breath. Taking foods like garlic, onions, and other spices causes a foul smell. This is due to the fact that they travel down your blood stream to your lungs and then affect your breath.

3. Dry mouth

Your saliva is to cleanse your mouth and remove bad particles that could contribute to mouth odor. When the mouth is void of saliva, it allows leftover food particles to remain on your tongue or at the corner of your teeth. This occurs mostly during your sleep or during fasting. This is why it is advisable to take water regularly to avoid dry mouth, which can cause bad breath. In the case of chronic mouth dryness, seek proper medical attention.

4. Smoking

Smokers have a high risk of having bad breath.Apart from the fact that smoking comes with its own foul smell, smokers are liable to have oral diseases that highly contribute to bad breath.

Other causes could be as a result of mouth or throat infections, medications, mouth sores, or tooth decay.

 How to deal with bad breath

1. Brush your teeth at least twice daily. 
2. Brush and scrape your tongue intentionally. This is because bacteria live on the tongue most of the time.
3. Rinse your mouth with water immediately after every meal.
4. Use the appropriate toothpaste, toothbrush, and mouthwash that work perfectly for you.
5. Drink water regularly to avoid dry mouth even while fasting.
6. Quit smoking.
7. Eat food that causes an increase in the release of your saliva.
8. Intentionally notice foods that trigger bad breath and refrain from it.
9. In cases of serious bad breath, seek medical counsel as early as possible.

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