Bad Breath: Causes and Solutions

    SACRAMENTO, CA, November 22, 2012 /24-7PressRelease/ -- Some causes of bad breath are obvious: foods and beverages that have strong odors are absorbed into your bloodstream and eventually carried to your lungs. This means that the onion you had for lunch or the coffee you had at breakfast will continue to come out in your breath until it has left your system. Likewise with smoking, although smoking also causes dry mouth, another factor in bad breath, making it twice as likely to produce an offensive odor.

Other causes of bad breath may include general oral hygiene issues such as:
- Improper brushing and flossing
- Gum disease
- Tooth decay

Bad breath may also be an indication of a health issue including:
- Pneumonia or bronchitis
- Sinus infection
- Diabetes
- Liver or kidney disease

Curing Bad Breath
In instances where your bad breath is caused by a medical condition, you need to seek help from a doctor to treat the underlying problem. However, most cases of bad breath can be cured by combining smart lifestyle choices with a good oral hygiene routine.

First and foremost, don't smoke. Smoking will impact the appearance of your teeth, cause persistent bad breath, and may eventually kill you. It's just a bad idea all around.

Taking time to floss morning and night along with brushing your teeth with fluoride toothpaste after every meal and snack will go a long way in fighting bad breath. If you have chronic dry mouth, try a mouthwash designed to treat that particular problem as well. Antiseptic mouthwashes can help remove odor-causing bacteria from your tongue, but should not be used by people with dry mouth as they can aggravate that condition.

Visiting your dentist every six months is another way to fight bad breath. Your biannual visits are used to remove all plaque, tartar, and bacteria from your teeth and gums as well as to check for oral health issues that can lead to bad breath. If a problem is detected early on, it can often be treated before bad breath and other serious problems occur. If you have persistent bad breath, these visits also provide your dentist an opportunity to prescribe special mouthwashes and other medications that can help treat the problem.

If you live in or around Sacramento, California and would like to learn more about preventing and treating bad breath, please visit the website of Advanced Dental Concepts today at www.hightechsmiles.com.

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