7 Causes of Bad Breath and How to Get Rid of It

Persistent bad breath can be more than an embarrassing problem. Also known as halitosis, bad breath can sometimes be linked to oral health problems such as gum disease, tooth decay, infection or dry mouth. If you're experiencing ongoing bad breath in Brisbane, understanding the cause is the first step toward treating it.

Bad breath is common, but persistent bad breath can sometimes be a sign of an underlying dental or health problem. Also known as halitosis, it may be caused by bacteria on the tongue, food trapped between teeth, gum disease, tooth decay, dry mouth or other conditions.
In this guide, we'll explain seven common causes of bad breath and practical ways to prevent it. If your bad breath doesn't improve with good oral hygiene, a dental examination can help identify the underlying cause.

Just about everyone has suffered from bad breath at one point in their life. From morning breath to garlic breath, there are many forms of bad breath. But did you know that bad breath can be a sign of something much more serious than an offensive odor?

We have been serving our patients since 1988 and have seen a wide variety of bad breath cases. All of the dentists and hygienists at Today’s Dentistry in Brisbane’s Northside suburb of Chermside practice with the same philosophy: To give you open and honest advice on all your options, alternatives and the associated costs, allowing you to make the most informed decision.

Food caught in between your teeth could smell or taste bad and will eventually lead to decay and potential infection, let alone cause bad breath!

We also all believe that all dental procedures can be painless, guilt-free and done without judging your previous dental work or decisions. We are here to help you achieve what you want, regardless of whether that is to relieve pain, improve your smile, cure your bad breath or just enjoy dental visits again.

What Causes Bad Breath?

With our knowledge and experience, we put together this list of 7 Surprising things that cause bad breath & 3 ways to fight it:

1. Gum Disease or Dental Infection:

   Related symptoms - Gum disease, dental infection, bad taste in mouth, persistent bad breath, bleeding gums, swollen gums.
   The most common one is from an infection. Whether it is pus draining into your mouth, or there is an infection in the gum or jawbone, you will also get a bad taste from that.

   “Bad breath is usually picked up first by other people before the person who has bad breath.”

   The problem with these is that quite often there is no pain associated with the early stages, so you can have this infection for quite a while, weeks or even months, before you start to get any pain from it.

   The down side of this is, all that time that the infection is festering away the bacteria is going into your bloodstream and can cause damage to other organs: your heart in particular or your pancreas. This means you are at a much higher risk of heart disease, stroke or diabetes.

2. Tooth Decay and Damaged Fillings:

   Related symptoms - Trapped bacteria, tooth decay, damaged fillings, food trapping, bad taste.
   The second thing it could be is if your tooth fillings are deteriorating it can give a metallic taste. Over time everything breaks down so the old silver mercury fillings can corrode or break down where they seal against the tooth and this will let in bacteria into the tooth so that decay can produce a bad taste too.

3. Acid Reflux:

   Keep, but soften medical claims - reflux "can contribute to" an unpleasant taste or breath, with a note that persistent symptoms warrant medical assessment, sometimes acid can come up as well and cause damage to the esophagus.

   

   There is no need to be embarrassed - Just about everyone has suffered from bad breath at some point in their life.

4. Bacteria on the Tongue:

   Related symptoms - Tongue bacteria, tongue coating, sulphur compounds, tongue cleaning, oral hygiene. This is not so much bad taste but more bad breath. This bacteria usually lives on the side of the tongue and usually don’t cause any damage to the teeth.

5. Food Trapped Between Teeth:

   Related symptoms - Flossing, interdental cleaning, food particles, plaque, tooth decay. This can smell or taste bad and will eventually lead to decay and potential infection.

6. Smoking and Tobacco:

   Related symptoms - Bad breath, stained teeth, gum disease, oral health problems. Among other health detriments, smoking and chewing tobacco can cause bad breath, tooth decay and stained teeth. The best thing you can do for your health is to avoid it all together.

7. Dry Mouth:

   Related symptoms - Dry mouth, medications, reduced saliva, hydration, bad breath. Dry mouth is a medical condition that is a common side effect of some medications and can lead to bad breath. The best way to combat dry mouth is with plenty of fluids. There are also some over the counter oral rinses that can be used. The down side of this is, all that time that the infection is festering away the bacteria is going into your bloodstream and can cause damage to other organs: your heart in particular or your pancreas. This means you are at a much higher risk of heart disease, stroke or diabetes.

How to Get Rid of Bad Breath?

For those with chronic bad breath, gum and mints will just temporary mask the condition. To get to the root of the problem, try these four techniques:

Brush and clean between your teeth
Brush and floss daily: the best way to combat bad breath is with good everyday oral care to ensure you are removing any plaque and food partials that can deteriorate and cause bad breath.

Get checked for an infection: if you think that an infection is causing your bad breath, contact your doctor or dentist and make an appointment to get it checked out. You could save your life.

Drink plenty of water: staying hydrated can help keep your mouth moist and flush out food particles that can remain in your teeth when you eat.

When Should You See a Dentist About Bad Breath?

If bad breath continues despite regular brushing, flossing and tongue cleaning, it's worth speaking with a dentist. Persistent bad breath may be associated with gum disease, tooth decay, infection, dry mouth or other underlying problems.   A dental examination can help identify whether there is an oral health issue contributing to the problem and determine the appropriate treatment.

If you have trouble fighting your bad breath give us a call today on (07) 3263 2677 or book online! We have taken every effort to make the Today’s Dentistry practice in Brisbane a relaxing and comfortable place to be. We look forward to hearing from you!