You probably think that your breath smells OK, if you even think about it at all. During a conversation with someone though, you might suddenly notice that they are discreetly inching just a little further away from you before making an excuse to leave the conversation altogether. Bad breath can range from being a temporary inconvenience, often caused by something we ate or drank, to, at other times, a persistent problem that makes us feel uncomfortable around friends, colleagues or even our own family.<\/p>\n
The problem is that it is very difficult to check to see if your own breath smells as any aromas have vanished by the time you can smell it yourself. Licking the back of your hand and smelling it is supposed to be able to help you detect bad breath, but it is a long way from being foolproof. Even if your breath does smell, it would take a very good friend to take you aside and tell you that it smells.<\/p>\n
There can be many reasons for bad breath, but dental related problems are often the most common when it comes to the issue of persistent smelly breath<\/a>.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n One of the most common reasons for bad breath, or halitosis, especially where it is persistent,\u00a0 is via the bacteria in the mouth. These bacteria are helpful in breaking down food particles to aid in the digestion process, but also release gases that have a highly unpleasant smell. Where the smell is persistent, it is likely that the bacteria in plaque and tartar attached to the gum line is causing it. Food and drink can obviously play a part. Garlic, onions and some spices are obvious examples. Coffee too, can leave an unpleasant smell of its own. Smoking is another culprit, and it can also contribute to dry mouth and gum disease which can add to this. Smoking is also a leading cause of oral cancers so is best avoided on all of these counts.<\/p>\n Our saliva helps to \u2018flush\u2019 away food debris and keeps the mouth moist and fresher. If you don’t produce enough saliva, then bacteria and food particles can soon build up and become a problem. This is why some people suffer from \u2018morning breath\u2019 due to\u00a0 saliva production tending to reduce while we sleep.<\/p>\n It is quite possible to brush your teeth regularly and still have bad breath. The main issue is that your toothbrush is unlikely to reach everywhere, and these places are often the ones\u00a0 where bacteria collect. The gaps between your teeth are one of the more common places. Food can easily become trapped there, and plaque can build up even when the visible surfaces look clean. Cleaning between your teeth once a day with floss or interdental brushes helps to deal with this. The dental hygienist at the Cygnet Dental Practice<\/a> is a good place to discover the best way to do this.<\/p>\n Using mouthwash may seem an obvious way to treat this problem but while it might offer some temporary relief, all it really does is mask the smell and not deal with the underlying problem which will gradually worsen.<\/p>\n A dry mouth can make a surprising difference to the way that your breath smells. This can be caused by dehydration, smoking and certain medicines. It can also occur with some medical conditions. If your mouth regularly feels sticky, you should sip water throughout the day. Avoid using fizzy sugary drinks for this purpose as they are less effective and also potentially damaging to the teeth due to the high amounts of sugar and acidity in them.<\/p>\n If you suspect that\u00a0 it might be your medicine that is causing you to have a dry mouth, please don’t stop taking them and consult your\u00a0 GP or pharmacist about it.<\/p>\n If, after taking steps to improve your oral health by better brushing and flossing etc, you find that your breath still smells, please do contact our Wickford dental clinic to have this checked. There can be a number of reasons for this including tooth decay. In many cases though, it will be your gums that are responsible and you may need to see our dental hygienist for advice and to receive a professional clean known as a \u2018scale and polish\u2019 to remove the hardened bacteria known as tartar which makes this problem more likely.<\/p>\n If you are told by a friend that you have \u2018stinky breath\u2019 or if people start to avoid you, it is time to take action. The first steps should be to cut out things that might be causing the problem\u00a0 which you eat, drink or even smoke. If that doesn\u2019t work, then please contact us for an appointment so that we can help find what is going on and treat it accordingly.<\/p>\n To make your appointment with the Cygnet Dental Practice, please call us on 01268 733078<\/strong>.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Our Wickford dentists and hygienists offer some helpful advice. You probably think that your breath smells …<\/p>\nThe oral health connection<\/h3>\n
Is brushing your teeth enough?<\/h3>\n
Dry mouth syndrome<\/h3>\n
When to see your dentist<\/h3>\n