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Avoiding Bad Breath for Valentine’s Day

by | Feb 10, 2022 | Avoiding bad breath

Avoiding-bad-breath

Understanding and addressing bad breath

Avoiding bad breath is important for any day, but is more crucial for Valentine’s Day. To handle bad breath, first you must determine what is causing it.

Causes

The medical name for bad breath is halitosis. John Hopkins Medicine lists the following underlying causes:

  • Particular foods. Onions and garlic remain in the bloodstream and can affect your breath until they leave the body.
  • Poor dental hygiene. Brushing and flossing daily in addition to dental visits can keep your mouth healthy and reduce bacteria that leads to odor.
  • Denture cleaning. Failure to properly clean dentures can result in collecting food particles and bacteria that cause odor.
  • Bacteria on the tongue. Bacteria can build up on the back of the tongue and interact with food particles containing amino acids, causing halitosis.
  • Gum disease. The infected gums also affect the bone, which is in a state of decay, and has an odor.
  • Dry mouth. When your mouth doesn’t produce enough saliva, food particles and debris linger. Saliva cleanses the mouth of food particles, which in turn helps with having a fresh breath. Certain medicines can cause dry mouth.
  • Tobacco. Tobacco in cigarettes, cigars and chewing tobacco cause unpleasant smells.
  • Health conditions. Certain health conditions can cause bad-smelling breath: respiratory infections of the lungs, windpipe or nose along with bronchitis, chronic sinusitis, or postnasal drip cause an odor. As can diabetes, kidney or liver disorders and a gastrointestinal disorder.

Treatment

Obviously, the treatment varies depending on the cause. Health conditions require medical treatment. A dentistry can help you with gum disease. With extensive plaque buildup, your dentist may suggest an antimicrobial mouth wash. Brushing your tongue every time you brush your teeth can also remove bacteria that causes odor. Bad dental hygiene is a matter of brushing and flossing consistently. Rinsing your mouth frequently and drinking lots of water also help get rid of food particles and keep your breath fresh.

Do you have questions about dental health?

Our friendly staff at Hutto Hippo Family Dental is glad to answer your questions. We don’t believe in making patients wait. Your time is valuable, and we know that. We strive to get you in as soon as possible.

Give us a call. Our number is (512) 806-7740.