What Is Bad Breath?
Bad breath is the mouth-borne odor that is irritant for patients themselves and to other people around them.
Symptoms
The only symptom of bad breath is the bad breath itself. However, it is not a disease on its own but rather is a symptom of many diseases.
There are degrees of intensity of mouth odors, and these are;
- Noticed by the patient himself,
- Noticed by the people close to the patient
- and noticed by everyone around.
There are specific mouth odors caused by some particular diseases. For example;
Diabetic patients have an obvious and distinct acetone-like mouth odor, or patients with kidney-related issues have an ammonia-like mouth odor.
Causes
Food residues between teeth, tongue, and other surrounding tissues cause malodorous compounds through bacteria in the mouth. The causes of bad breath generally develop from the mouth. However, if the disturbing smell lasts for a long time despite oral cleaning, the odor may be a symptom of other diseases. For example; If you have bad breath coming from the stomach, you should seek stomach-related treatments.
Mouth-sourced bad breath causes;
- Tooth decays,
- Gum disease,
- Poor oral hygiene
- Hunger,
- Dry mouth
- Smoking,
- Plaque buildup on the tongue surface
- Consumption of food and beverages that will cause odor
Bad breath that other diseases may cause;
- Ear, nose, and throat problems
- Kidney diseases
- Stomach and intestinal problems
- Diabetes
- Nasal diseases
What Are Bad Breath Treatment Methods?
It is essential not to miss your treatments to stop bad breath. First, a good oral examination should be done, and all issues that may originate from the mouth should be reviewed. Major treatment methods;
- Dental fillings,
- Tooth stone cleaning,
- Good oral hygiene,
- Abundant water consumption,
- Frequent use of dental products such as dental floss and toothbrushes may also help to treat mouth-borne odors.
Although alcoholic mouthwashes used for halitosis suppresses lousy breath at first, it later increases the odor’s intensity. So it is better to use non-alcoholic mouthwashes.
One of the most significant issues to be forgotten in oral care is tongue surface cleaning. The most prominent surface that can cause odor in our mouth is the tongue. If there is a yellow layer of plaque when we stick our tongue out, it may be one of the most significant sources of smelly breath. If that’s the case, the tongue surface must be cleaned using the necessary tools to achieve nice and fresh breath.
How to Clean the Tongue Surface?
The tongue surface should be cleaned with tongue cleaners instead of a toothbrush or a toothbrush with a serrated back. Thus, using a special plastic tongue scraper made for especially cleaning the tongue is much better.
Halitosis Causes for Babies and Children
Bad breath is not common in babies. Generally, the smell in the mouth of babies is the smell of milk. However, the causes of bad breath in children are almost the same as in adults.
If all mouth-based treatments have been applied and the odor is still not gone, the patient should immediately visit other medical departments.
What Is Breath Odor? Is It The Same Thing As Bad Breath?
Note that everyone can get bad mouth breath when they wake up in the morning. Bad morning breath is one of the biggest complaints of patients. However, this is quite normal since the mouth remains closed all night, saliva flow gets low, and also there is no fluid intake. What matters is the intensity of this smell. If the power of odor is too much, then the patient should see a dentist.
What Is Tooth Smell or Gum Smell?
There is no such thing as tooth odor or gum odor. If there is tartar on the tooth surface or the gum has complications, there might be gum-induced bad breath.
What Are The Causes Of Bad Breath When Wearing A Mask?
With the masks entering our daily lives with the Covid-19 pandemic, more and more individuals complain about halitosis. It is pretty normal to have bad breath when wearing a mask. With prolonged use of shows, airflow is restricted, and the mouth cannot suppress odor. It is vital to renew your mask frequently to avoid bad breath and, most importantly, reduce the epidemic’s risk.
Which Doctor Should You See for Bad Breath?
For bad breath complaints, you should go to a dentist or periodontologist.
Is There A Definitive Solution to Bad Breath?
As stated, if you pay attention to oral hygiene and treat the complications in your mouth, you will solve your problems related to mouth odor. However, despite the halitosis treatments performed, you should visit other branches if your bad breath has not gone.