Categories: Family Dentistry

Common Causes Behind Bad Breath

When your breath isn’t as fresh as it could be, you might be slightly embarrassed to engage with other people socially or at work. More importantly, however, it might also indicate an underlying dental health concern, or the need to dramatically improve your hygiene practices. The trick to defeating chronic bad breath (or halitosis) is to find out why it’s present in the first place. This means visiting your dentist for a thorough examination to pinpoint the cause of your bad breath.

Inadequate Hygiene

Certain oral bacteria are the most common causes behind bad breath, and in some cases, the condition can indicate that you have too much oral bacteria clinging to your teeth, gums, and tongue surface. If inadequate hygiene is the cause of your halitosis, then improving your hygiene routine and visiting your dentist more often may be all you need to cure it.

Developing Dental Issues

In addition to directly causing bad breath, oral bacteria can also cause progressive dental diseases, like tooth decay and gingivitis. Such conditions involve the erosion of your tooth structure or gum tissues (respectively), and as they progress, they can generate odors that lead to chronic bad breath. The more tooth decay and gum disease progress, the stronger and more embarrassing your bad breath will become.

Infection After a Dental Procedure

After some dental procedures, such as root canal treatment or tooth extraction, there is a small risk of infection until your oral tissues heal. The risk is typically small, but when it occurs, bad breath may be one of the more noticeable warning signs. If you experience chronic bad breath after a dental procedure, then schedule a follow-up examination to determine if you should be worried about infection.

Find Out How to Cure Your Bad Breath

If you’re tired of bad breath, then let your dentist help you cure it for good by diagnosing and treating its underlying cause. To learn more, or to schedule a consultation, call Gentle Smiles in Dallas, TX, today at 972-329-7645 (972-329-SMILE).

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