Dental hygiene is one of the essential practices taught from childhood. It is a routine that the parents place to sustain the children's dental health. This routine builds the foundation of good oral hygiene. 

Despite these acceptable dental practices, you may sometimes have persistent bad breath that may lower your self-confidence. You will be reluctant to interact with others because of the odor.  It is possible to treat the foul oral smell once you know its cause. 

There are several causes of having an unpleasant breath:

Poor Dental Hygiene

Your dental hygiene revolves around how and when you brush your teeth and tongue. Negligence of brushing your teeth is detrimental to your dental hygiene. It will result in bacteria's formation in and around the gums and teeth, which can cause tooth decay, bad breath, or tooth pain. 

You need to ensure that you brush and floss your teeth at least twice daily. People often tend to ignore the tongue, thus leaving a loophole for the bacteria to circulate in the mouth. You need to scrape it and use a mouthwash to rinse out the areas a brush can't reach. 

Knowing that you have clean teeth can make you smile more often, which boosts your confidence.

Bacterial Infections

Several types of infections can cause foul-smelling breath.

ENT – Ear, Nose, and Throat Problems

ENT infections like adenoids and tonsils can be a cause of bad breath. The tonsil stones that form in the throat produce a terrible odor in the mouth. Throat infections like strep throat can also cause bad breath. 

Underlying Diseases

There are some underlying diseases like mouth and throat cancer that can cause bad breath. It is common in prolonged unpleasant foul smell conditions. Some metabolic disorders can release excess stomach acid. This excess acid, in turn, causes bad breath. You must be keen to explain your symptoms to the dentist to ascertain the mouth odor's exact cause.  

Gum Diseases

Gum diseases are primarily a result of bacteria around the teeth that cause bad breath. 

Wisdom Tooth

Wisdom teeth are the last set of adult teeth to grow. Incidentally, they grow when you are between 17-25years. Despite their attractive name, they can be the source of extreme tooth pain if they do not sprout properly.

The wisdom teeth may cause overcrowding due to improper sprouting. As a result, there may be food particles trapped around these teeth, causing infections and inflammation. These infections will cause you pain or bad breath. 

Fortunately, you can visit your dentist for wisdom teeth removal to alleviate your problems. Be keen to choose a professional doctor who will help you accordingly. 

The Food You Eat

Different foods can influence your mouth odor. For example, garlic and acidic foods are bound to affect your breath. Sugary and acidic foods can also speed up bacteria build-up, which causes bad breath if you do not brush properly. Be sure to take a lot of water to improve your dental health. 

Some lifestyle habits like smoking can also be the cause of your bad breath. 

Despite the reason for your bad breath, you need to seek professional help from the dentist. The dentist will help you to pinpoint the exact cause and prescribe an efficient treatment plan. Be sure always to observe proper dental hygiene as a prevention measure. 

by Contributing Author