Halitosis, or bad breath, is a dental condition that can be socially distressing, especially during public gatherings. Every time you inhale or exhale, you feel conscious of the people around you. Therefore, visiting a Brookline general dentist is important to get a tailored solution. Before that, you must know about the different causes of bad breath. In this article, we have jotted down the top 5 causes of bad breath. Here we go! 

Causes Of Bad Breath 

1. Poor Oral Hygiene

Improper brushing allows food particles and germs to enter and settle down within your teeth and gums. This is how your mouth becomes a breeding ground for bacteria. This results in bacterial growth. These bacteria break down these food particles, causing foul-smelling gasses like hydrogen sulfide. This results in bad breath. 

2. Dental Issues

Several dental problems like gum diseases and oral infections allow the bacteria to grow within your mouth. This causes a foul smell. Above all, the plaque build-up on your tongue and teeth gives enough space for bacteria and germs to feed. This causes a foul smell.  

3. Dry Mouth

Saliva is important for your oral cleaning as it neutralizes acids present in your mouth. Additionally, it removes bacteria and food particles. Dry mouth is caused by reduced saliva production, which is frequently brought on by certain drugs, illnesses, or mouth breathing. Bad breath is caused by germs growing when there is not enough saliva produced.

4. Dietary Habits

Certain drinks and foods with strong odors, like onions, garlic, and spicy food, are rich in sulfur compounds that linger within your mouth, causing bad breath. Above all, fasting and crash dieting break down body fats into small pieces, producing large quantities of ketones, which causes foul breath.

5. Underlying Medical Conditions

Bad breath is a common sign of underlying dental and health concerns. Health conditions like respiratory infections, sinusitis, acid reflux (GERD), diabetes, liver or kidney disease, and certain cancers become major causes of bad breath because these release volatile organic compounds (VOCs) through continuous breathing. 

Wrapping Up

Addressing bad breath is important to boost your confidence. There are several reasons that we discussed that can result in such a situation. A thorough dental checkup will address all underlying problems. Get in touch with your trusted dentist, who can craft the best solutions for you.