Can Halitosis Really Cause Bad Breath?

Halitosis or bad breath is a complaint for many people. Halitosis is considered disturbing and even embarrassing. Halitosis itself can be a common thing (physiological) or indeed a disease (pathological). Bad breath when we wake up or when fasting is caused by dry mouth conditions. This is a common condition (physiological).

The cause of halitosis due to pathological conditions consists of various things, including:

1. Lack of oral hygiene
2. Sores in the oral cavity, such as canker sores.
3. Accumulation of food scraps, for example in cavities, tooth gaps, or tongue.
4. Gum disease, such as swollen gums, festering, bleeding gums, etc.
5. Inflammation of the respiratory tract.
6. Inflammation of the digestive tract.
7. Other factors that can cause halitosis are risk factors such as tobacco, alcohol, dry mouth, diet, food and drink, drugs, and dentures.

The smell we smell is a product produced by anaerobic bacteria, known as VSC (Volatile Sulfur Compounds). These anaerobic bacteria are present in large quantities in our mouths, especially when pathological conditions occur.

What should we do when we have bad breath?

First, first identify the cause. If it is due to a pathological condition, immediately consult a specialist to treat the cause. If the cause is in the oral cavity, we can start with home care to overcome it, before rushing to the dentist.

How to care for oral health:

1. Brush your teeth regularly. Brush your teeth 2 times a day, after breakfast and before going to bed. Do a good brushing on the entire surface of the teeth and clean between the teeth with dental floss.
2. Use a tongue scraper (tongue scraper or brushing the tongue with a toothbrush) to remove the white coating on the surface of the tongue.
3. Use antiseptic mouthwash if necessary. Only the effect of this mouthwash is only temporary.
4. Regularly chew sugar-free gum. This causes the production of saliva to increase, so that it can help clean the teeth and mouth from bacteria and food debris.
5. Regular denture cleaning.
6. Drink lots of water.
7. Reduce alcohol consumption and don't smoke.

If after the cleaning phase at home you still feel bad breath, sour taste in your mouth, then immediately consult a dentist to discuss the causes, evaluate the stages of cleaning at home, treatments to be carried out, medicines to be taken, or even addition of other dental hygiene aids besides toothbrushes. Halitosis or bad breath can be prevented by paying attention to oral hygiene and maintaining good dental care habits by having regular and regular dental and oral check-ups to the dentist.

Optimal mouth cleaning allows us to avoid bad breath. Don't let bad breath interfere with our daily activities. Do routine control to the Dentist at Hermina Podomoro Hospital every 6 months. Greetings healthy.