One of the questions that our patients often ask us is “Mouth Odour”. Although my teacher brushes my teeth, my bad breath does not go away.” We have often encountered discourses such as.
Bad breath is an unpleasant odour caused by some bacteria combined with food residues in the mouth. This odour is often caused by intraoral causes, rarely seen as a result of systemic disorders or dry mouth, which is a side effect of some medications used. This odour is especially noticeable in the mouth in the morning, but in healthy individuals, this condition improves after oral care is performed. If this odour persists despite oral care, it is useful to consult a dentist for differential diagnosis.
Causes of Bad Breath
- Bad odour compounds are formed as a result of the interaction of food residues that cannot be cleaned well in the mouth with bacteria in the mouth.
- Conditions such as foci of infection in the mouth, poorly made prostheses, broken or cracked restorations, caries, tartar, gingivitis also cause bad breath.
- Saliva plays a very important role in cleaning and washing the mouth. A decrease in the amount of saliva in the mouth causes bad breath as it reduces the ability to wash the mouth. In this case, some medications used due to systemic disorders (antihypertensives, antidepressants…) may cause dry mouth and may indirectly cause bad breath.
- Some foods we eat (onion, garlic, meat, fish, cheese, etc.) cause bad breath. A predominantly protein diet can also cause bad breath. This odour will continue until these foods are eliminated from the body.
- Similarly, tobacco products and alcohol also cause bad breath.
- Some diseases play a role in the emergence of bad breath, albeit to a lesser extent. Diabetes, lower and upper respiratory tract infections, digestive system disorders, liver and kidney system diseases can be included in this category. These diseases secrete different odours. For example; In diabetes, such as the distinct acetone odour in the mouth…
What should be done to eliminate bad breath?
- First of all, the differential diagnosis of whether bad breath is caused by an intraoral cause should be made by a dentist.
- Necessary treatments should be made for caries in the mouth, bleeding gums, poorly made prostheses and tartar should be eliminated.
- Oral hygiene education should be given, this education should be fully established, teeth should be brushed regularly and interface care should be performed.
- Bacteria in the mouth can often live in recessed and protruding areas, especially in the crevices on the tongue. Bacteria can cause bad breath by feeding on food residues accumulated in these areas. For this reason, brushing the tongue is very important in eliminating bad breath. Specific tongue brushes can be used in this regard. For the elimination of bacteria living on the tongue, ozonotherapy treatment applied on the tongue also offers supportive treatment.
- Chewing sugar-free chewing gum accelerates the flow of saliva and contributes to the oral rinsing process.
- If all these recommendations are followed, but there is no change in the person’s bad breath, then bad breath may be caused by the gastrointestinal system, the person should be referred to an internal medicine specialist.
- The information contained in the content of the website is for informing the visitors of our website. This information is in no way a substitute for a physician’s examination or diagnosis of a patient for medical purposes.
