What is bad breath?
Bad breath has the scientific name of VSC (volatile sulfur compounds) - a volatile sulfur compound that exists in the oral cavity and is emitted when speaking or breathing.
The main cause of the bad smell comes from 3 compounds in which hydrogen sulfide (H2S) has a rotten egg smell, methyl mercaptan (CH3SH), and dimethyl sulfide (CH3SCH3) has a gas smell.
Bad breath not only affects the patient's psychology and health but also has many other potential health risks.
Common causes of bad breath
1. Dental disease
Bad breath can be a warning sign of an oral disease like gingivitis - periodontitis. The accumulation of plaque on the teeth will create conditions for bacteria to form, attack, and irritate the gums, creating bad breath. If this condition is not treated promptly, it will damage the gums and alveolar bone.
Other dental diseases such as tooth decay, tooth enamel infection are also one of the causes of bad breath.
Dry mouth: After radiation therapy or a syndrome like Sjogren's, the amount of saliva in the mouth decreases, so the ability to brush yourself naturally decreases, which is easy to cause tooth decay and bad breath. When the amount of saliva in the mouth is reduced by 50% of the normal level, it will cause the antibacterial activity of the saliva, the bacteria present in the mouth begin to grow, which will cause bad breath. When the salivary glands are not functioning properly, the body is dehydrated, having diabetes, taking medicines ... are the causes of your mouth becoming dry and causing symptoms of difficulty swallowing, decreased taste, often decreased taste, mucositis…
2. Oral hygiene habits
90% of bad breath disease comes from proteins that break down in the oral cavity. After meals, the amount of food left in between the teeth due to poor oral hygiene will create a favorable opportunity for bacteria to ferment and grow. develop and secrete odorous compounds. Plaque on the tongue includes leftovers, white blood cells, and bacteria, the tongue has cracks that create a low-oxygen environment, which prevents the activity of the salivary glands and this is the environment for active Bacteria, causing bad breath.
Poor dental hygiene habits will lead to bad breath
Poor oral hygiene leads to the formation of cavities, tooth decay from the mildest to the most severe is always the cause of bad breath in everyone. There are also a few cases of wearing dentures but do not fit properly, do not clean, leading to food remaining, leading to bad breath.
3. Physical pathology
Bad breath can be a sign that your body has an infection. Many other special causes such as people suffering from cancer, having to undergo treatment, radiation therapy with drugs or having diabetes, liver failure, kidney failure,... Medical conditions such as respiratory infections, sinusitis, pneumonia, acid reflux, liver and kidney problems will also lead to bad breath.
Bad breath is one of the warning signs of body disease
4. Food
Some foods with strong odors such as onions, garlic, people who often drink alcohol, smoke cigarettes ... also create a "special smell" when talking.
Some foods and medicines, after being metabolized in the body, also create residues in the form of vapors that are released through the airways, causing odors.
Strong-smelling foods cause bad breath
Smoking habits are also the cause of bad breath, yellow teeth, and poor aesthetics.
How to treat the disease of breath?
According to Dr Vo Van Nhan, the oral cavity is a humid environment, favorable for bacteria to grow. The oral cavity contains millions of bacteria, if not cared for and cleaned thoroughly, this is the cause of most bad breath symptoms. Therefore, we need to have solutions to prevent and treat bad breath as follows:
Oral hygiene: Brush teeth morning, night, and after each meal with a soft-bristled brush, floss, and mouthwash to completely remove plaque and bacteria. Clean the surface of the tongue regularly to avoid bad breath.
Brush your teeth morning, night and after each meal for effective oral hygiene
Periodic dental check-ups: Periodic dental check-ups to be checked by the Doctor for oral health, cleaning tartar, screening, and control of dental diseases and the whole body.
Periodic dental examination and oral hygiene to control dental disease
Diet: A reasonable diet, limiting strong-smelling foods, drinking enough water, exercising regularly will help you have a healthy body and effectively prevent bad breath.
A reasonable and nutritious diet will improve oral health and limit bad breath
Don't let bad breath affect your quality of life, contact Nhan Tam Dental Clinic for advice and quick treatment.