Taking good care of your teeth and gums is a worthy goal. Many people get busy and skip out on their regular brushing and flossing. The seemingly innocuous irregular oral hygiene routine could have a greater impact than you might think. While a healthy mouth can help you ward off medical disorders, on the flip side, an unhealthy mouth can have a variety of side effects, among them bad breath. Having a proper dental hygiene routine and regular dental check-ups, you can maintain a fresher breath. Please contact Lovett Dental Upper Kirby today at 713-490-8888 today to set up an appointment.
How Dental Health Affects Your Breath
Bacteria Accumulation on Your Tongue
The back of the tongue has many grooves and crevices that make a perfect residence for odor-causing bacteria. While a tongue scraper or a toothbrush can help remove the gunk that accumulates on your tongue, most of the bacteria collect at the back of the tongue. Since the tongue scraper or the toothbrush cannot reach that far without making you gag, an effective way of targeting this area is by swallowing safe substances that fight odor-causing bacteria. Such substances are designed not to disguise the bad breath but to stimulate saliva and reduce the activity of the bacteria causing bad breath.
Plaque on the Teeth
Plaque is a sticky, colorless film of bacteria that forms on teeth. When you fail to brush your teeth, the teeth may feel fuzzy due to the plaque covering. Plaque develops when foods containing starch and sugars stay on the teeth. Bacteria that live in the mouth thrive on these foods, producing acids.
Good at-home oral care routine is essential in keeping plaque at bay. Brushing and flossing remove the odor-causing bacterial on the teeth, tongue, and in between the teeth. Even though regular dental oral hygiene is vital, brushing and flossing might not eliminate all the plaque. That is why seeing your dentist regularly for professional cleaning is essential.
Dry Mouth
Dental health goes beyond brushing and flossing your teeth to ensure that your mouth has optimal conditions that prevent bad breath. Saliva is a natural deterrent to bad breath because it washes away bacteria. When you have a dry mouth, it means that you don’t have enough saliva to wash out odor-causing bacteria.
The best solution to this is to drink water frequently to hydrate your mouth. Chewing sugar-free gum in between your meals can help stimulate your salivary glands and produce enough saliva to fight the bacteria.
Foods
When maintaining a good oral care routine, it is essential to adjust it to the foods you eat. Foods such as garlic and onions contain high concentrations of sulfur compounds, which are often stinky. When you eat foods containing garlic or onion, you should brush and floss right away to remove any odoriferous particles that might be stuck in your teeth.
Prescription Medications
Being aware of the medications that you take can help you prevent bad breath. Some medicines can cause dry mouth. Staying for long with a cottonmouth can cause bad breath.
Smoking
Tobacco products, ranging from cigarettes to chew and pipe, can cause bad breath. Beyond leaving a bad odor in the mouth, smoking can damage gum tissue and cause gum disease.
When Should I See a Dentist?
If you have bad breath, the first thing you want to do is review your oral hygiene habits. Develop habits like drinking plenty of water and brushing your tongue and teeth after eating. If you make these changes and the bad breath persists, it may be a sign of other serious issues. Therefore, it is best to see your dentist, who will examine you or refer you to a physician to find the cause of the odor.
Request an Appointment at Lovett Dental Upper Kirby
If you are bothered with bad breath that won’t go away, Lovett Dental Upper Kirby can help you. We provide access to dental professionals who will examine your problem and put you on a treatment plan and care that best suits your needs. Some of our services include:
- Teeth cleaning
- Dental bonding services
- Orthodontic dental braces
- Dental implants
- Oral surgery
- Sedation dentistry
Let us help you get rid of your bad breath. Call Lovett Dental Upper Kirby today at 713-490-8888, or contact us online to schedule your first visit.