Halitosis is another term used for bad breath. This oral condition affects roughly one-third of the population.
For 90% of people who has halitosis, the primary cause lies inside the mouth and the condition is known as intraoral halitosis. This condition is mainly due to oral bacteria that produces foul-smelling gases known as VSCs or volatile sulphur compounds.
The remaining 10% of halitosis are classified under extraoral halitosis since the primary cause stems from outside the mouth. The most common causes of extraoral halitosis is from adverse effects of medicines or uncontrolled medical conditions.
What Causes Halitosis?
Poor Dental Hygiene
The main reason why people get halitosis is due to poor oral hygiene. This includes improper teeth cleaning, cavities, not making the trip to the Surrey dentist, gum diseases, braces or dentures. As food particles get stuck in-between your teeth, it will cause bacteria to form and grow. These bacteria will produce foul odours and facilitate in other dental issues.
Bad Lifestyle Habits
Diet – Acidic drinks, alcohol, fish, onions, garlic, coffee and curry has strong odour can cause halitosis. Sometimes these foods can even induce stomach problems. Odiferous foods tend to stay in the body until they are eliminated.
Smoking or Chewing Tobacco – tobacco can stain teeth and lead to bad breath. Smoking tobacco products can also aggravate gum problems and accelerates tooth decay.
Dental Diseases – gum diseases and cavities provide bad breath bacteria a perfect place to hide and they are hard to clean out every time you brush them.
Mouth, Nose and Throat Infections – according to studies, problems in the nose, sinus and throat can lead to postnasal drip and may contribute to halitosis. Bacteria thrives on mucus that’s produced by your body when it’s fighting off problems like sinus infection.
Dry mouth – saliva contributes a lot when it comes to dental health and even breath. It helps in rinsing leftover food particles and aids in breaking down food and provides disease-fighting substances to prevent infections and cavities. If you aren’t producing enough saliva, one sign maybe halitosis. Dry mouth is also due to medicines that you take, alcohol use, certain medical problems, excessive caffeine intake and tobacco use.
Although sometimes, everyone gets bad breath, if you experience it a lot, it may be best to visit your dentist. Your dentist may be able to tell you what’s causing your bad breath and can help in treating it, or if they can’t, you will be referred to a specialist for further evaluation and treatment.