Few things are as embarrassing as hard-to-treat bad breath. Our Elmhurst dentists know that when patients suffer from bad breath they are less gregarious and confident in social situations.
Bad breath may develop and persist for a variety of different reasons. Today we are going to be talking about some common causes of malodorous breath, so that you can take steps to safeguard your smile.
As you probably already know, certain foods can lead to bad breath. Pungent foods like garlic, onions, and spiced meats are likely to affect your breath. For the most part, you will have to wait for these food-related smells to dissipate on their own. As your body processes these foods the smells will become less pronounced. In the meantime, you can use a mouth rinse to improve your breath, and drink plenty of water to help neutralize bacteria.
You may also deal with bad breath because you have too many oral bacteria in your mouth. Bacteria, which accumulate in plaque and tartar, emit unwanted odors when they feed on sugars and multiply. In order to treat this type of bad breath, you need to undergo a professional dental cleaning in order to give your smile a clean slate. You may also benefit from restorative treatments for existing gum disease or dental decay, as these issues will also contribute to bad breath.
Finally, chronic dry mouth leads to bad breath. Saliva neutralizes oral bacteria and freshens your smile. When you are dehydrated, or suffering from dry mouth, your body is not able to produce enough saliva. The dry—saliva-free—environment of your mouth allows oral bacteria to take over. Talk to your dentist about things that you can do combat dry mouth every day.
Our Elmhurst dentists are here to help you maintain a healthy and fresh-smelling smile. So give us a call to schedule a consultation!