Did you know that bad breath can actually be caused by a medical problem and not just from the food you eat? Many people think that they have bad breath, when their breath is actually fine. However, real bad breath affects about 25% of people and is caused by poor oral hygiene habits. If you have chronic bad breath, it could be from tooth decay, gum disease or another chronic problem. Find out what bad breath really is, what causes it, and what you can do about it!

Do You Have Bad Breath?

Many people think that they have bad breath at some time or another. However, studies show that only about 25% of people actually have bad breath. For those who have bad breath caused by something other than food, their breath can be very foul smelling and hard to get rid of.

Reasons you might have bad breath include:

• Tooth decay
• Breakdown of food in your mouth
• Poor oral hygiene
• Dry mouth
• Acid reflux
• Gum disease
• Oral infection or respiratory infection
• Tobacco or alcohol use
• Severe dieting

If you look at this list, you will see that most causes of bad breath are avoidable. You determine how your oral hygiene will be. Not taking care of your oral hygiene will lead to tooth decay and oral infections. You can get dry mouth from chronic conditions and from tobacco and alcohol use, as well as severe dieting. Really, having bad breath is largely determined by how much you take care of your body and mouth. If you are brushing and flossing regularly and doing all to control bad breath, but you still have it, seek the help of a medical professional to determine the cause.

Do You Have Tooth Decay?

We want to focus on tooth decay, as this is one of the major causes of bad breath. Every single day you put yourself at risk for tooth decay and gum disease by simply eating and drinking. When you eat and drink, you’re likely consuming sugar, as most products are full of sugar. That sugar mixes with bacteria in your mouth to create plaque.

The more you eat, the more plaque your mouth makes. You may think you simply swallow all your food and drink, but that plaque actually sticks to your teeth. You might be able to see some on your teeth right now if you look in a mirror. What’s worse is that plaque is acidic in nature, meaning that it erodes your hard tooth enamel over time, making it weak and creating small cracks and fissures in your teeth. If you continue to not brush and floss, plaque will eventually get inside your tooth, causing extensive decay. Tooth decay—whether small or large—will give you bad breath.

Combatting Common Oral Health Problems

Not brushing and flossing your teeth will also give you bad breath because you aren’t controlling the amount of odor-causing bacteria in your mouth. Mouthwash exists to kill some of the bacteria that causes bad breath. If you reduce bacteria, you reduce how much plaque your mouth can make. That is why mouthwash is a great aid to patients who are already brushing and flossing their teeth. As the American Dental Association recommends, patients should brush their teeth at least twice a day for 2 minutes at a time. Follow this up with flossing, making sure to scrape the teeth and to get up in your gum line to remove plaque. Lastly, make sure you are visiting the dentist at least biannually. These two visits are generally covered by insurance because they are so important to your oral health and overall health.

How We Can Help You

Are you someone that loves the feeling of a clean mouth? Most people love having a clean mouth with fresh breath. However, not everyone brushes and flosses enough to have that clean mouth all the time. Over time, plaque buildup can lead to tooth decay and tartar buildup. Your teeth may become less white and may feel like they are in need of a really good cleaning. Luckily, we provide deep dental cleanings for our patients. In fact, the American Dental Association recommends that every person receive a dental cleaning and comprehensive exam at least twice a year. These services are done together along with an oral cancer screening.

At your appointment, we examine all the hard (teeth) and soft tissues of your mouth. We check you for any abnormalities that could indicate oral cancer and take x-rays of your teeth to determine if tooth decay is present. This is one of the most important parts of your exam, as we want to catch tooth decay while it is small. Severe tooth decay is what leads to such bad breath and eventual tooth loss in patients. We provide every patient with an excellent dental cleaning. Our dental hygienists will brush, floss, polish and meticulously clean every tooth and provide you with a fluoride treatment. You will leave our office with fresher breath, cleaner teeth and feeling better about your oral health.

Boot Out Bad Breath

If you have bad breath, you don’t have to live with the stench! If you don’t take care of your oral health through brushing, flossing, and seeing the dentist regularly, odds are that you have bad breath. You can boot out bad breath by choosing to brush and floss each and every day. If you are due for an exam and dental cleaning, call Mountain Aire Dentistry today at (303) 731-7755! If you have bad breath, we can let you know and provide you remedies to combat it. Come in and get your oral health checked today!