DOES YOUR BREATH STINK? Do you know if your breath stinks? What causes it? What can be done about it? Here at our practice we get lots of questions about bad breath. Sometimes the questions come from a long-suffering friend or family member of somebody else with bad breath.
Halitosis can be caused by a number of things—some more serious than others. Here are the most common causes:
Foods like garlic and onions contain oils that transfer through your bloodstream into your lungs, causing odor to be emitted each time you exhale.
Dieting can trigger different chemical processes that can make you more susceptible to bad breath. Also, not eating slows down saliva production, decreasing your mouth’s ability to clean away bacterial build-up. That’s why “morning breath” is unpleasant. Also, certain prescription medications can cause dry mouth.
Sometimes a cold or sore throat can be the culprit with odors coming directly from the bacteria or mucus trapped in your mouth or sinus area. Typically, these problems won’t go away until the symptoms causing them are gone.
More serious causes include things like gum disease, kidney problems, diabetes, oral cancer, anorexia/bulimia and others. That’s why it’s so important to contact us about chronic bad breath problems that you just can’t seem to solve.
Remember, chronic or extreme bad breath is not normal. If you have any questions about causes, symptoms, or remedies talk with our team.
Contrary to the popular legend that Listerine coined the term “halitosis”, it actually dates back to the 1870’s. However, Listerine made the term commonplace by using it in many of their ad campaigns. Halitosis combines the Latin “halitus”, meaning “breath”, with the Greek suffix “osis” used to describe a medical condition.
We sincerely appreciate the trust you place in us. And thanks for your kind referrals of friends, family members, and coworkers. Leave us a comment below or send us a direct message on our Facebook page!
We'd love to serve you and your family. Call today or set up your appointment online.