TreatmentMouth Odure

What Causes Bad Breath?

Bad breath can have several causes:

• Most people's mouth do not smell fresh when they wake up from bed. This is normal. If you brush your teeth before going to bed, the early morning smelly mouth will not be too bad, in fact some people don't smell at all.

• In most cases, bad breath is caused by bacteria in the mouth breaking down bits of food.

• Persistent bad breath is often a sign of gum disease.

• Eating strongly flavoured foods, such as onions and garlic, can cause your breath to smell unpleasant.

• Smoking and drinking a lot of alcohol can also causes bad breath.

What Can You Do.

1. Good oral hygiene is usually enough to prevent and treat bad breath. When you brush your teeth, try to brush the back of your tongue, where it is harder to reach.

2. Your dentist can advise you on how to improve your oral health and can refer you for further investigation if they think there may be another cause for your bad breath.

How To Find Out If You Have Bad Breath

1. Get a very good friend to be absolutely honest, but do make sure they are a true friend.

2. A simple test you can do yourself is to lick the inside of your wrist and wait for the saliva to dry. If the area you licked smells unpleasant, it is likely that your breath does too.