Having persistent bad breath can make you feel self-conscious and uncomfortable in social settings. But does bad breath say something about your health? There can be multiple different contributors to your bad breath and underlying health conditions can certainly be the cause. Exploring the top causes for bad breath will help you to know how to get rid of your bad breath for good or when to seek help from a professional to address the cause.

Poor Oral Hygiene

The most common cause of bad breath is poor oral care. When food particles and bacteria collect in your mouth, they can produce foul-smelling sulfur compounds. If you have untreated tooth decay or an infection in your mouth, it can also produce a bad smell. Routine visits to your dentist as well as daily brushing, flossing, and tongue cleaning are essential to keep your teeth clean and maintain fresh breath.

Food or drink

Depending on what you had at your last meal, your breath can smell like a variety of different foods, especially the most pungent of them. Digestive issues from certain foods you eat and low-carb diets can also lead to unpleasant odors as the body breaks down fats and proteins.

Dry mouth

While there are several causes of dry mouth,  one symptom of dry mouth is bad breath. Salvia is important because it brings minerals to your teeth and it washes away food debris and bacteria that cause not only bad breath, but also a myriad of oral health issues. If you are suffering from dry mouth, you won’t have the appropriate amount of saliva to rinse your teeth of bad smelling food or germs.

Causes of xerostomia, or dry mouth, include:

• Stress
• Diabetes
• Smoking
• Chemotherapy
• Dehydration
• Side effect of some medications

Using tobacco products

Smoking and chewing tobacco  not only leave a strong, unpleasant odor in the mouth but also contribute to gum disease and a higher risk of oral cancer, both of which can cause bad breath.

Sinus and Respiratory Infections

Infections in the respiratory tract or sinuses can lead to postnasal drip, causing a foul odor to emanate from the throat. Treating the underlying infection can help alleviate this issue.

Consult your dentist

If you have tried to address different potential causes for your bad breath but can’t seem to find a solution, make an appointment with your dentist. Even if you consistently brush and floss your teeth, you may have another dental issue that is causing your breath to smell poorly.

If you are in St. Augustine, FL and are needing a dentist to help you identify the cause of your bad breath, give Dental Remedies a call today.