Bad Breath Treatment: What causes bad breath? & How to get rid of bad breath

Halitosis, also known as bad breath, is an unpleasant odour problem that can be noticed by both the individual and those around them. People with halitosis may avoid talking or standing in close proximity. Halitosis may push the individual to be asocial. Accordingly, psychological problems may occur.

What causes bad breath?

Poor oral hygiene and oral and dental health issues typically cause bad breath, but some systemic diseases (diabetes, liver, tonsils, sinusitis, stomach disorders, etc.) can also contribute to bad breath.

What causes bad breath?

The presence of oral and dental health problems is one of the causes of bad breath. Main causes:

Oral conditions that cause bad breath:

Bacterial Plaque: Irregular and inadequate brushing causes food waste to form bacterial plaque on the tooth surface. These harmful bacteria form dental plaque, which causes bad breath.

Dentists in oral and dental health hospitals remove tartar from patients' teeth. Patients who consistently attend their 6-monthly dental check-ups do not experience any progression, even if they develop tartar. The dentist assists the patient in maintaining healthier teeth and gums by removing any tartar that may have formed during dental check-ups.

Gum Diseases: Inadequate oral hygiene impairs gum health. Insufficient oral hygiene can lead to the development of gum diseases. Intense bacteria in the gums cause gingivitis, gum disease, and bad breath.

The individual who learns that the bad breath noticed by his/her relatives or himself/herself is caused by gum disease should be treated immediately. Gum disease can cause healthy teeth in an individual to lead to tooth loss. Several treatments are available to restore the aesthetic and functional appearance of teeth after tooth loss. These treatments include removable prostheses (dentures) or full mouth implant treatments like all on four and all on six implants. Consult the dentist as soon as you notice bad breath to treat gum inflammation. The patient can continue their life with their natural teeth without the need for other long-term treatments.

Tongue Surface: Bacteria that accumulate on the tongue can cause bad breath by producing sulfur compounds.

Decayed Teeth: Poor oral and dental hygiene, a lack of a healthy balanced diet, and frequent consumption of acidic and sugary foods lead to tooth decay. Decayed teeth cause bad breath.

Old or incorrectly made dental fillings: Dental fillings should be replaced under the supervision and advice of your dentist. When a dental filling is too old or poorly made, it causes food waste to accumulate on the tooth surface and causes bad breath.

Dry mouth (xerostomia): Saliva is a natural cleanser. Lack of saliva makes mouth cleaning difficult. If the saliva secretion of the individual is insufficient due to reasons such as drug use and smoking, dry mouth occurs. This condition is also among the causes of bad breath.

Dental prosthesis failure: Incorrectly made dental prostheses are among the causes of bad breath. Prostheses that are not prepared in accordance with the individual's mouth and jaw structure cause food waste to accumulate under the prosthesis. The inability to clean these wastes leads to the development of bad breath. Having these wastes in the mouth for a long time can cause gingivitis.

Crooked teeth: Despite using toothbrushes, dental floss, and interdental brushes, the surfaces of the teeth facing each other cannot be cleaned completely. Bacteria accumulation and tartar formation are observed on surfaces that cannot be cleaned sufficiently. As dental plaque progresses, a pocket forms in the gums. This leads to gum diseases and bad breath.

Apart from oral and dental health problems, there are also conditions that cause bad breath.

Non-oral causes of bad breath:

Digestive system problems: Stomach disorders (such as reflux) can cause bad breath from the stomach.

Respiratory tract infections: Conditions such as sinusitis, tonsillitis and bronchitis can cause bad odor.

Systemic diseases: Serious health problems such as diabetes, kidney or liver disease can also cause bad breath.

Dietary: Pungent foods such as onions and garlic, low-carbohydrate diets, smoking, and alcohol consumption can also cause bad breath.

Fasting can lead to bad breath. Prolonged fasting can cause bad breath.

Snoring causes dry mouth and bad breath.

How to get rid of bad breath?

Following the necessary hygiene rules for oral and dental health, along with the necessary treatments, can help prevent bad breath. Brush your teeth at least twice a day, maintain a healthy diet, and provide dental treatments and necessary treatments for systematic diseases.

How to relieve bad breath (halitosis)?

Regular tooth brushing, drinking plenty of water, treating diseases such as stomach and diabetes, and undergoing treatments such as fillings, root canals, crowns, and orthodontics are effective in eliminating bad breath.

7 Tips to Get Rid of Bad Breath

• Take care of oral hygiene,
• Get your dentist checkups,
• Apply remedies for dry mouth,
• Use antibacterial products,
• Have a regular and healthy diet,
• Get medical help,
• Get snoring treatment.

We should pay attention to certain situations and implement certain treatments for getting rid of bad breath. 7 tips to eliminate bad breath:

1. Take care of oral hygiene:

The first thing to do to get rid of bad breath is to pay attention to hygiene. Brush your teeth correctly for at least 2 minutes twice a day. Use dental floss and an interdental brush once a day to clean the surfaces of the teeth facing each other from food waste. Using a tongue cleaner while maintaining oral hygiene also contributes to effective results. The tongue scraper apparatus effectively removes harmful bacteria accumulated on the tongue surface from the mouth. This is effective in eliminating bad breath.

2. Dental check-ups:

You should be sensitive about decayed teeth and do not neglect dental check-ups every 6 months. You should perform orthodontic treatments such as fillings, root canals, dental crowns, gum disease treatment, tartar cleaning, braces, and clear aligners without neglect.

Orthodontic treatment removes dental crowding and makes teeth easier to clean. Orthodontic treatment improves the health of the gums and treats bad breath.

Orthodontic treatments have diversified with today's opportunities. Depending on the individual's preference and needs, braces treatment can be performed. Patients frequently prefer invisalign - clear aligners treatment due to its more comfortable and aesthetic appearance. Thanks to orthodontic treatments, tooth alignment is possible at any age. After braces or Invisalign treatment, the patient cleans their teeth much more easily. With properly aligned teeth, the patient gets rid of harmful bacteria and bad breath with routine oral and dental health practices.

3. Remedy for dry mouth:

Dry mouth causes bad breath. You can chew gum to enhance saliva production. Drinking plenty of water is also effective in eliminating bad breath.

To prevent dry mouth, make sure the gum is sugar-free when chewing. Sugary gums can cause tooth decay and bad breath.

4. Antibacterial products:

You can use antibacterial mouthwashes and toothpastes. You can eliminate bad breath and remove harmful bacteria in the mouth by using antibacterial products.

5. Diet:

Avoiding foods that increase bad breath, consuming fibrous and healthy foods, and avoiding sugary and acidic foods that cause dental caries are beneficial in eliminating bad breath.

6. Medical support:

If extraoral bacteria is the cause of bad breath, treat the corresponding diseases. Consult a gastroenterologist for stomach-related bad breath, and regularly use the doctor's recommended medications for diseases like kidney and diabetes that cause bad breath.

7. Snoring:

Snoring problems can be solved with snoring treatment. When a dentist recommends a snoring prosthesis, the individual not only sleeps comfortably and wakes up rested, but also avoids dry mouth and bad breath due to breathing through their nose. For the treatment of bad breath caused by snoring, a snoring prosthesis specially prepared for the patient may be recommended after examination in oral and dental health hospitals. A snoring prosthesis eliminates the snoring problem. The snoring-related bad breath and dry mouth disappear.

Things you can do to prevent bad breath

• Daily care: Do not neglect teeth and tongue cleaning.
• Regular checkup: Visit the dentist every 6 months.
• Healthy Nutrition: Avoid foods that cause bad breath.
• Support Saliva Flow: Avoid dehydration and seek out solutions if you experience dry mouth symptoms.
• Quit Smoking and Alcohol: These are harmful to both bad breath and general health.
• Snoring treatment: The use of a snoring apparatus will reduce bad breath.
• For instant solutions, using fresh sugar-free chewing gum or bad breath spray can also be effective.

Permanent bad breath

If you have bad breath that does not go away, you should first have a dental examination and then have your general health checked and your diet reviewed.

What is halitosis (bad breath)?

Bad breath caused by bacteria in the mouth is medically called halitosis, or bad breath.

How can I test for bad breath at home?

When patients apply to Dentapolitan Oral and Dental Health Hospital in Turkey with the complaint of bad breath, they usually state that they realise this situation with the statements of their relatives' spouses.

The individual who wants to do a bad breath test at home should apply saliva to the inner part of themselves, wait 10-15 seconds, and then smell that area. If it smells bad, this indicates that the individual has a bad breath problem (halitosis).

What causes bad breath in children?

Dental caries, inadequate oral hygiene, gingivitis, eating habits, tonsil diseases, sinusitis, and dry mouth can cause bad breath in children.

What is the definitive remedy for halitosis?

The definitive solution for halitosis is possible by finding the exact cause of halitosis. For a solution, it is necessary to know whether halitosis is caused by intraoral or extraoral factors. When the cause of the odour is determined, it is imperative to apply procedures and necessary treatments.

Does tartar cause bad breath?

Tartar causes bad breath. Long-term presence of harmful bacteria on the tooth surface leads to the formation of tartar, which, if left unclean by the dentist, deteriorates tooth and gum health and causes bad breath.

What causes bad breath during pregnancy?

Changing hormone levels during pregnancy can cause an increase in oral bacteria and bad breath.

Does a decayed tooth cause bad breath?

A decayed tooth that loses its general integrity and health causes bad breath. Decayed tooth must be treated. A carious tooth odor does not go away with brushing.

How do you fix bad breath from nasal drip?

Maintaining oral hygiene cannot eliminate bad breath due to nasal discharge. When the relevant doctor treats the disease, postnasal drip halitosis resolves. The doctor applies drug treatment in the first stage. In advanced cases, the dentist may prefer endoscopic surgery.

Oral and dental health treatment is performed by our experienced dentists. Make an appointment for your dental check-up at one of our Dentapolitan Oral and Dental Health Hospitals in Turkey, Istanbul.