Bad breath or halitosis is very embarrassing and can even lead to anxiety and lack of confidence. This issue has become very popular, leading to several stores stocking up with mouthwashes, gum mints, and various kinds of toothpaste to fight the mouth’s odor. However, most of these products are just temporary solutions since they don’t address the leading cause.

Dentists explain that even though proper dental hygiene can improve the issue of bad breath, a lot of factors still need attention. That is why, if simple dental hygiene doesn’t solve the problem of bad breath, you need to seek medical advice immediately.

Diagnosis

Your dentist will carry out different methods to determine the cause of your bad breath. For instance, the dentist will rate the smell from your mouth and your nose on a scale. Usually, the tongue’s back is the foul breath source; therefore, the dentist will scrape it to rate its odor.

Still, chemical detectors help in rating terrible breath, but they are not easily accessible.

Treatments

The primary treatment for lousy odor, gum diseases and avoid cavities is good oral hygiene. However, depending on the cause of bad breath, treatment can vary. Dentists will work with you to treat cases related to oral dental health. Other than that, a care provider will assist.

Dental measures may involve;

Mouth rinses and kinds of toothpaste: Usually, bad breath results from bacteria buildup of plaque on your teeth. In such a case, your dentist will advise a suitable mouthwash that will kill the bacteria. Still, toothpaste with an antibacterial agent can be a good solution for your dentist to kill the bacteria.

Treatment of dental diseases: A periodontist is a specialist who treats gum diseases. Gum diseases make the gum pull away from the teeth creating deep pockets that can store odor-causing bacteria. Sometimes, your dentist will recommend a professional cleaning to remove the deep-pocketed bacteria. Still, it would be helpful to restore a faulty tooth which creates a breeding ground for bacteria.

Home Remedies

There are several home remedies people use to treat bad breath. However, not all are recommended medically. Below are dentist-endorsed home remedies to improve your bad breath.

  1. Brush your teeth after main meals. It would help use fluoride toothpaste to brush your teeth twice daily, preferably in the morning and before bedtime.
  2. Use floss once daily to remove food particles and plaque between your teeth. This helps prevent bad breath.
  3. Your tongue is a ground for bacteria to breed. Therefore, brush it thoroughly but cautiously, avoiding bruises. Smokers or people with a coating on the tongue, a scraper, or a toothbrush with a scraper will help.
  4. Clean your dentures or any dental appliances once a day or according to your dentist’s advice. A mouth retainer or guard requires cleaning before putting in the mouth. It would be best to get the recommendation of the best cleaning products from your dentist.
  5. Drink a lot of water to avoid a dry mouth. Smoking, caffeinated drinks, alcohol, and soft drinks will lead to a more parched mouth; hence you should avoid it.

Above all, do not forget to schedule frequent dental checkups, preferably twice a day.