Nowadays, oral and dental health is an issue that many people care about, and it is also an essential thing that people should give importance to. However, in some cases, they can face many problems in terms of their dental health. Halitosis, also known as bad breath, can be counted as one of these problems.
No one wants to have bad breath and experience the mental and physical problems it would bring. Therefore, in this blog, we have brought together the causes and treatment methods of halitosis for you.
What is Halitosis?
Halitosis, or bad breath, is an unpleasant odor problem that occurs in the mouth or nose of individuals and disturbs them and those who are around them. Unfortunately, this complication can affect one in four people. Besides, the person experiencing this problem may feel ashamed of the people around him or her, as well as of his or her own discomfort, and may experience anxiety due to this. Therefore, individuals’ social lives may also be affected because of halitosis. In other words, bad breath causes anxiety and social isolation.
The treatment process should be started and should not be interrupted for bad breath, which, if left untreated, can negatively affect oral and dental health and also cause individuals to move away from social environments.
What are the symptoms of Halitosis?
Of course, the main halitosis symptom is the bad smell of breath that comes from the mouth. Actually, halitosis can be seen as a symptom of some diseases. In Particular, tooth decay is known to be the most obvious cause of bad breath. Also, problems such as sinusitis, pharyngitis, various stomach disorders, and liver and kidney disorders can cause halitosis. Therefore, you should consult your dentist to get treatment. If the cause of your bad breath is not due to a dental problem, then you should apply to the internal medicine department.
What are other causes of Halitosis?
As mentioned above, halitosis can be one of the symptoms of many diseases. Let’s summarize the diseases that most commonly cause bad breath as follows:
Gum disease: It is a disease that occurs as a result of an infection in the gums. It usually occurs as a result of not brushing your teeth well and not paying attention to your oral health. Therefore, halitosis is among the symptoms it brings with it.
Tonsil stones: Small sores that form on the tonsils are called tonsil stones. The most common symptom of tonsil stones is halitosis. To prevent this problem, you can gargle with salt water and use an oral rinse.
Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD): Gastroesophageal reflux disease, or reflux, as it is also known, is a stomach disorder that occurs as a result of stomach acid flowing back into the tube connected to the stomach. It has an irritating effect due to the acidic effect of stomach acid. Therefore, it is a disorder that causes bad breath and needs to be treated.
Neck and oral cancer: As everyone knows, cancer is a very dangerous type of disease that causes imbalance and abnormalities in the body. Oral cancer, or cancers occurring around the mouth or in the neck area, cause various wounds and lesions. Since these wounds are prone to infection, you may experience bad breath. Early diagnosis of such diseases is a savior. Therefore, do not forget to go for a doctor’s check-up every 6 months.
Dry Mouth: As mentioned before, bad breath is caused by bacteria. Under healthy conditions, saliva controls the formation of bacteria in the mouth. However, in cases such as dry mouth, as saliva production decreases, bacteriemia formation may increase, and bad breath may occur. Dry mouth may occur due to various medications, health problems, damage to the salivary glands, smoking, and alcohol consumption.
Diabetes: It is a chronic metabolic disorder that, if not controlled, can cause dry mouth, gum diseases, and various infections. These symptoms can also cause halitosis, as said before.
Liver disease and kidney disease: Liver and kidney disorders can cause toxins and bacteria to multiply in the body. For this reason, problems such as bad breath may occur.
Sjögren’s Syndrome: Sjögren’s Syndrome is known as an autoimmune disease caused by the immune system that increases dryness of the mouth and eyes. This disease can cause bad breath due to dry mouth.
Infections: In general, infections throughout the body can cause bad breath because they increase the risk of bacteria and inflammation. Besides, Infections can have life-threatening consequences if left untreated.
How is Halitosis Treated?
Health problems are the reasons that can cause bad breath and need the most attention. Therefore, it is essential that you consult a dentist first. If you do not have a dental disease, you should definitely consult an internal medicine specialist, as you may have a different health problem. If you do not have such diseases, there are various bad breath solutions, which can be listed as follows:
Brush your teeth for at least two minutes twice a day.
Increase saliva production by chewing sugar-free gum during the day.
Stay away from substances such as alcohol, caffeine and tobacco that can dry out your mouth.
Increase your consumption of foods such as apples, carrots and celery, which help clear plaque and food particles that cause bad breath.
Consumption of cheese, bacon, some spices and orange juice can cause bad breath; reduce the consumption of these foods.
How do I get rid of halitosis?
Chronic bad breath can be a sign of many diseases. You should take this symptom into consideration and consult your doctor. If you do not have any health problems, you can get rid of bad breath by considering the suggestions given above.
How can I permanently get rid of bad breath?
For bad breath that occurs due to certain health problems, it is necessary to control the disease. It is not possible to completely get rid of bad breath unless the diseases are controlled. Therefore, take your illnesses into consideration and get treated. Apart from health problems, bad breath may occur due to a lack of dental care and various foods consumed. You should show care and consistency in your oral care to cure bad breath.
How can I prevent halitosis?
You can use daily solutions to prevent bad breath. As explained before, brushing your teeth twice a day, using dental floss and a tongue scraper will help you prevent bad breath.
What does it mean if you have bad breath all the time?
Even though oral care is taken seriously, bad breath can be caused by various health problems. In this case, it is recommended that you go to the nearest health institution and have a general check-up. Otherwise, your complaints may increase and irreversible consequences may occur.
Who Treats Bad Breath?
Treatment of bad breath may vary depending on the disease causing bad breath. If you do not have a dental problem, you can consult an internal medicine specialist or gastroenterologist and receive treatment. You can also consult an infectious diseases specialist for bad breath caused by infection.
Why do I have bad breath even after brushing?
If bad breath persists even if you brush your teeth regularly and pay attention to oral care, this may be due to a health problem. Firstly, it is recommended that you consult a dentist.
