Bad
breath, also called halitosis, is one of the most common oral health problems.
You get bad breath when you fail to practice poor dental hygiene. However,
elderly or disabled people find it difficult to brush or floss their teeth
properly. Smokers, in particular, get bad breath, as well as periodontal
disease, which leads to bad breath.
Certain
medical conditions affecting the oral health of people also cause bad breath.
These include tooth decay, impacted teeth, abscessed teeth, periodontal
disease, alcoholism, uncontrolled diabetes, kidney disease, sinusitis, throat
and lung infections, post-nasal drip, allergies and dry mouth.
Even
taking certain medications cause bad breath: antihistamines, calcium blockers,
cardiac medications, blood pressure pharmaceuticals and psychiatric drugs. These
medications result in bad breath, because their substances inhibit saliva flow
or produce dry mouth which eventually leads to halitosis. Aside from these,
certain foods can cause bad breath. These kinds of food include diet soda,
onions, spices, garlic, curry, cabbage and coffee. Food that is rich in high
protein causes halitosis when stuck between the teeth.
It is
common knowledge among dentists in Fishers IN that bad breath is
produced when waste formed by the bacteria in the mouth, nose or stomach comes
into contact with the air. Nasal dysfunction as well as genetic abnormality in
the nasal passage inhibits proper mucus flow, hence, the bacteria produced by
sinusitis, post-nasal drip and allergies is transferred from the nose to the
back of the tongue where it remains as a result of improper saliva flow or poor
dental hygiene.
When the
bacterial plaque is not removed from the teeth, gums or between teeth, it will
accumulate and grow, leading to not only halitosis but also tooth decay and gum
disease. So it is important that you not only observe proper dental hygiene but
also get professional dental cleaning once every six months from dentists in fishers Indiana.
Biologists
have discovered that there are various types of bacteria that cause halitosis.
These types of bacteria are found in unpleasant odors such as corpse scent, which
is a combination of oxygen and sulfur compounds, decayed meat, rotten egg
stench, smelly feet and feces aroma. Now that you know that the same bacteria
in your mouth also come from these unpleasant odors, you should make sure you
get regular dental check-ups from dentists in fishers Indiana.