In most cases, you can tell when your breath is bad and are able to do your best to hide it from others. Unfortunately, you might not always know about your bad breath until someone points it out, and even knowing about it doesn’t mean you can successfully hide it. Luckily, most cases of chronic bad breath can be combatted with good hygiene an proper dental care, but knowing its cause is an essential first step. To help you defeat your persistent bad breath, we explore some of its more common causes.

Pungent Foods

Eating a lot of onions or garlic (or other similarly strong foods) can instantaneously foul your breath. While brushing your teeth or gargling mouthwash can help mask these odors, they won’t go away until your food has passed through your body. Chewing sugarless gum or sugarless mints can also help mask your meal’s lingering odor, but if you’re on a date, stay away from strong foods for the evening.

Ambitions Oral Bacteria

You might be aware that the some of the over-600 different kinds of bacteria in your mouth are responsible for issues like tooth decay and gum disease. With inadequate oral hygiene, other oral bacteria can chronically foul your breath by releasing volatile sulfur compounds that emit the kind of stench you might associate with rotten eggs. Brushing and flossing at least twice a day, regular dental checkups and cleanings, and antibacterial mouthwash can help control the excessive buildup of harmful and offensive oral bacteria, increasing your chances of beating bad breath.

Unhealthy Habits

Poor hygiene, like neglecting to brush and floss, could be considered a bad habit. Other, more obvious bad habits, like tobacco use and excessive alcohol consumption, can alter the delicate ecology of your mouth, creating a hospitable environment for malicious bacteria to flourish. If you smoke, chew tobacco, or consume a lot of alcohol, then you’re more likely to develop chronic bad breath as well as a host of other dental health issues.

ABOUT YOUR CONROE DENTIST:

The Dental Centre of Conroe, John M Richards DDS delivers distinctive cosmetic, restorative, and implant dentistry for residents of Conroe, Houston, The Woodlands, Willis, Huntsville, and the neighboring communities. For more information about our services, or to schedule an appointment, contact us by calling (936) 441-4600.