In nine cases out of ten, bad breath is a dental problem. This often surprises people as many think it has more to do with diet and digestion problems. But the reality is that more often than not, the problem causing bad breath originates in the oral cavity. This could be due to poor oral hygiene leading to an excess of bacteria and decaying food matter, or even as the result of gum disease which causes an unpleasant odour.
Patients with gum disease often suffer from bad breath because the disease is responsible for releasing a bad smell. Dentists can often diagnose gum disease even before they have properly examined the patient because of the smell coming from their mouth. This kind of bad breath can be treated as a side effect of the gum disease, which may involve some treatment from the dentist as well as improved oral hygiene.
The other main cause of bad breath is not as the result of any other condition but simply caused by insufficient cleaning of the teeth and gums. Food matter that is allowed to stay in the mouth in the small spaces between the teeth, around the base of the teeth and in the small groves of the tongue is acted upon bacteria. This causes the material to decay which releases a nasty sulphurous compound which is carried out on the breath. This kind of bad breath is easily treated with improved cleaning, specifically flossing, which is perfect for removing food from between the teeth. Using a tongue scraper on a regular basis will also help to keep the tongue free of food particles.
To determine the cause of your bad breath and find out the easiest way to prevent it, make an appointment with a Leeds dentist who can offer tips and advise to stop bad breath once and for all.
Tags: bad breath, oral cavity, oral hygiene
