Bad breath can ruin a close conversation, a meeting, or a party with friends. While garlic and onions often get the blame, they are only temporary culprits. When you have constant bad breath, you need to take simple steps to freshen your breath and protect your health.
Common Reasons for Bad Breath
Poor Oral Hygiene
The #1 reason for bad breath is poor oral hygiene. If you skip brushing, flossing, and cleaning your teeth and tongue daily, food debris and bacteria accumulate in your mouth. As these foods and bacteria build up over time, they produce odor. Once these bacterial colonies become entrenched in gum pockets and tartar deposits, ordinary mouthwash and oral hygiene cannot remove them. Regularly brushing and gently flossing helps clean out the bacteria causing your bad breath, but entrenched bacterial colonies must be cleaned out professionally in our Placerville dental office.
What You Eat
Another contributor to bad breath is what you eat. Sugary foods and beverages feed harmful oral bacteria, leading to bad breath and tooth decay. It’s no secret that decay stinks, and that applies to our mouths too. Therefore, it’s best to limit sweets. If you occasionally enjoy them, rinse your mouth afterwards with water. Drinking plenty of water and choosing healthy options such as crunchy fruits and vegetables goes a long way towards limiting the growth of harmful oral bacteria.
Dry Mouth
Dry mouth also leads to bad breath. Saliva aids in washing away the debris that accumulates in your mouth and controlling bacterial growth. Certain medications, mouth breathing, smoking, using tobacco products, and other medical conditions result in the reduced production of saliva and, therefore, worsened breath. Consult with one of our Placerville dentists if you suffer from dry mouth. We have solutions!
Occasional bad breath happens to everyone. Persistent bad breath deserves a closer look. It may signal gum disease, tooth decay, infection, or another dental concern that needs treatment. If you have constantly bleeding gums or a toothache, you may need to escalate your situation to immediate emergency dental treatment at our Placerville clinic.
Fresh Breath Starts With Healthy Habits
To maintain healthy teeth and gums, and the fresh breath that goes with them, brush at least twice per day, floss daily, clean your tongue, and drink plenty of water. Regular dental cleanings are essential to remove plaque and tartar that home care cannot. And when your breath is out of control, the Placerville Dental Group helps patients find the cause of bad breath and protect their oral health. Just remember, if bad breath comes with tooth pain, swelling, bleeding gums or signs of infection, contact our emergency dental team for prompt care!
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