As much as nobody likes Bad Breath (halitosis), it is unfortunately quite common. Although precise epidemiological data is a bit scarce, several studies have suggested that bad breath may fall close behind dental cavities and gum disease as the foremost reasons for visiting a dentist in Guelph and nearby areas.

Bad breath isn’t exactly a pressing medical problem, per se. It’s neither fatal nor a harbinger of deadlier underlying diseases you might not know about just yet. The problem is: halitosis can still be extremely embarrassing and socially limiting, which can seriously harm anyone’s self-esteem and overall emotional state—they don’t like the idea of social gatherings because bad breath might let them and other people down. Now that is a problem definitely worth fixing.

Dealing with bad breath, then, means it’s important to know what causes it. In a general sense, halitosis is caused by a buildup of bacteria in the mouth; a situation which can be caused by different factors. Of course, there’s poor dental hygiene, which can lead to bad breath due to hordes of bacteria feeding off of left-over food particles. This is why doctors advise brushing at least twice a day and flossing at least once (if brushing twice isn’t possible, then rinsing the mouth out with water after a meal will do for the meantime).

There’s also the myriad of bad habits. Case in point: cigarette smoking. Avid smokers suffer from an aptly-named type of oral odor called “Smoker’s Breath” due to the smoke particles that get left behind in the throat and lungs. The smoke from burnt tobacco can linger in the lungs for hours. There’s also the specific chemicals found in cigarette smoke that linger in saliva, causing the characteristic “Cigar Breath.”

So who can help? If the foul odor is of oral origin (meaning it’s only coming from inside the oral cavity and not somewhere deeper), a trusty dentist from practices in Guelph such as the Woolwich Dental Group can help sort things out. Most of the time, the odor is due to gum disease, which the dentist (with proper training and experience) can skillfully treat. If the latter’s not possible, there’s still the services of a periodontist at hand, which focus on treating gum tissue.

Sources:

Bad Breath: Causes And Treatment, LiveScience.com, July 18, 2014

4 Things That Could Be Causing Your Bad Breath, MSN.com, March 10, 2015

What Causes Bad Breath, And How Can I Fix It? Mother Nature Network, December 2, 2011

Why Does Smoking Cause Bad Breath? TheraBreath.com, May 4, 2011

How Can My Dentist Treat Bad Breath? ShareCare.com

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