Top 10 Causes of Bad Breath

Bad breath is clinically known as halitosis. It is a fairly common condition that can be caused by a number of factors. Here are 10 of the most common causes of bad breath with some guidelines on how to remedy it.

Poor oral hygiene is one of the most common culprits of bad breath. Simply starting to brush your teeth twice a day, using floss, and scheduling a professional cleaning at a dentist’s office could be enough to fix bad breath.

Dehydration and dry mouth can create bad breath. Drinking more water each day can fix it. Many health professionals recommend half an ounce to an ounce of water for each pound of body weight.

Bad breath can be a symptom of a more serious illness such as liver disease or tonsillitis. If your dentist is unable to determine the cause of your bad breath, he or she may recommend that you schedule an appointment with your primary care doctor to rule out other medical causes of the halitosis.

Exercising outside has been linked to bad breath. If you exercise a lot outside and have bad breath, consider taking a break or moving some of your workouts inside to the gym. If the bad breath resolves, it is possible that exercising outside contributed to your bad breath.

Researchers know that there is a link between oral health and heart disease. Many people with heart disease also have bad breath.

Tonsillitis can cause bad breath. However, tonsillitis normally has other symptoms, such as sore throat and fever. If you only have bad breath as a symptom, it likely comes from one of these other causes.

Stomach ulcers can cause stomach pain and bad breath. If you have stomach pain and suspect an ulcer, treatment for the ulcer could resolve the bad breath.

There is a link between bad breath and obesity. Losing weight to stay within a healthy weight range for your height could help to improve bad breath.

In everyone’s body, there are good and bad bacteria. Sometimes when bacteria is unbalanced, the overgrowth of bad bacteria can cause bad breath. Taking an antibiotic can create this unbalance. Taking probiotics could help restore balance.

Some prescription medications can cause bad breath. If you suspect that a prescription medication is causing your bad breath, be sure to mention your concerns and bring your medications to the dentist. Your dentist will be able to rule out prescription medications as a cause.

If you are ready to get rid of your bad breath for good, contact A&R Advanced Dental Group today at 845-364-9400 (Pomona) or 718-376-1666 (Brooklyn) to schedule your first appointment.