Although most people wake up with bad smelling breath, it should go away after you brush your teeth and eat breakfast. If you find yourself consistently keeping your mouth shut in fear of someone smelling your breath – it could be a sign of a more serious problem. Do you have bad breath? It could be that you have periodontitis – or gum disease – because the bacteria that causes this infection is also odor-causing. Odor-causing bacteria that’s taking over your mouth could definitely be the culprit behind your terrible smelling breath.
How Is Gum Disease Diagnosed?
Your dentist will be able to examine your teeth and gum tissue to determine if they are infected. Typically, they’ll look for pockets around your teeth which they can measure to see if they are unhealthy. The bacteria that causes periodontitis will usually eat away at your gum tissue and leave you with pockets surrounding your teeth. The bacteria can settle in these pockets, which could be causing your bad breath.
However, poor oral hygiene could be another cause of your bad breath. If you’re not brushing and flossing your teeth regularly (in addition to seeing your dentist annually), it’s definitely time for a professional cleaning and check-up.
How Do You Treat Bad Breath?
If your bad breath is caused from poor oral hygiene, simply bettering your oral hygiene habits should change how your breath smells. Although, more often, bad breath is just a sign of an underlying infection. In these cases, you would have to treat the infection to get rid of your bad breath.
If you’re suffering from chronic bad breath, consult with your dentist to ensure that your mouth is healthy before trying different toothpaste, mouthwashes, or anything else.
