If you’re combatting persistent bad breath every day no matter what you do or eat, you may be suffering from halitosis, or chronic bad breath. What exactly causes halitosis, and what can you do to keep your breath fresh in the future?

What Causes Halitosis?

There are a quite a few reasons why you may be suffering from halitosis despite your best efforts to improve your breath:

• Dry Mouth — Decreased saliva production means that your teeth don’t have the constant luxury of having their surface bacteria continuously washed off. Certain medications as well as tobacco and alcohol use can all lead to dry mouth, among other reasons.
• Neglect — If you don’t brush your teeth twice a day, don’t expect to have nice breath! Not brushing your teeth gives the bad bacteria in your mouth an opportunity to grow without the threat of being brushed away.
• Smoking — Smoking weakens your body’s ability to fight against bacteria and makes it easier for bad breath germs to thrive in your mouth.
• Infections — Infections affecting your mouth, nose, and throat can all contribute to halitosis. This is because when postnasal drip enters your mouth, bacteria feed on the mucus and therefore multiply.
• Other Ailments — If you have kidney disease, diabetes, or stomach issues, you can develop halitosis as a result.

Halitosis Treatment

Mints, gum, and mouthwash won’t quite cut it when it comes to battling halitosis. Depending on the cause of your chronic bad breath, your dentist will come up with a proper game plan to combat it. Be sure to brush and floss your teeth twice a day and drink plenty of water even if you haven’t seen your dentist yet. This will help protect your teeth from further damage.

There is no need to be embarrassed about bad breath, since there are so many solutions out there to fix it. We want you to feel at home at Jackson Smiles Family Dentistry and are happy to help you with halitosis and your other oral health care needs. Schedule an appointment today!