Everyone suffers from bad breath from time to time, especially in the morning when we just wake up. Despite being a common problem, it is a very taboo subject and people affected by it may be stigmatized. Below we look at some of the causes and remedies of bad breath.
A dry mouth after sleeping
When we wake up in the morning, we often have a dry mouth and we may notice an unpleasant odor from our mouth. This is often easily and quickly resolved by drinking a glass of water. In this case, the bad breath is caused by a lack of saliva in the mouth. During sleep, less saliva is produced and a bad smell begins to develop. Drinking a glass of water or having something to eat is enough to start saliva production.
A dirty tongue
Bad breath is also often caused by a dirty tongue. It is very important to brush your tongue while brushing your teeth. If we would look at the tongue under a magnifying glass, we all see ribbed tissues. These tissues are vulnerable to bacterial attack if not properly cleaned. These bacteria break down the tongue coating made of proteins and food residues. During the decomposition process, sulfides are released, which have a foul odor. When you clean your tongue with a scraper to reduce bacteria on the tongue, less sulfides are released improving bad breath.
Other causes of bad breath
But there are also other causes that can cause you to have bad breath. The most common include gingivitis, infections in the nose and throat and also smoking or alcohol use. Gingivitis can be prevented by brushing properly, using a toothpick and going for periodic dental checkups. When the bad breath is caused by infections or disease in the nose and throat, a visit to an ENT is necessary.
If you have tried the above but your bad breath still won’t go away, give us a call to schedule an appointment at our Tijuana Dentist Center. Our experienced dentists can offer you effective halitosis treatment to make bad beath a thing of the past.
