That often embarrassing foul smell that emanates for the mouth is called halitosis. It is normally a sure indicator that something is quite wrong with your health. It can range from the mild halitosis but other times it becomes more permanent so you should see a doctor. It could sometimes be a sign of internal oral but also something to do with external oral issues.
Intra oral problems can make one to have bad breath which can be because of poor dental hygiene. Periodonititis, food that remains too long in the mouth within the tooth cavities can be another suspect. Then of course some people have problems because of the type of foods they eat regularly like garlic, raw onions and so on. Xerostomia or dry mouth can also do the same but other causes are tonsillitis, cancer, diabetes and kidney cases.
Other conditions like pneumonia, sinuses, bronchitis and gastritis can also be to blame. The condition is easy to test even at home, which you do by covering the nose and mouth by the hand then exhaling. The bad smell is normally very strong in the morning.
The mouth has little saliva as you sleep at night; the smell is therefore awful by morning. As soon as the teeth have been cleaned in the morning it becomes better. For smokers the smell is normally kind of permanent.
This happens because of less salivary flow during the night while you are asleep and it simply disappears after the teeth have been brushed. A long duration of smoking will also cause halitosis.
The dentist should also be informed if you had any surgeries of late that could have any bearing to this. If nothing intraoral is detected, the next step is to get a medical practitioner to perform some tests.
Once the right diagnostics have been obtained, the right treatment plan will be given even though it is still important that you embark on proper oral hygiene to deter any dental problems. It also helps in making the breath fresh. All it takes is to brush your teeth twice each day, particularly after every meal to reduce the bad breath.
The tongue should also be brushed to prevent bacterial problems in between the papillae. Use mouth rinse and dental floss to reach the tight areas in between the teeth. It will remove microorganisms and stubborn food. Chewing or smoking tobacco is particularly dangerous for your oral health, so see the GP to help you stop.
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