Tips About Bad Breath

By Seddigheh Feisee, MD

Feisee Institute

. https://thefeiseeinstitute.com/

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Tips About Bad Breath

Bad breath, also known as halitosis, can be embarrassing and cause anxiety. There are many different causes of bad breath but the most frequent is poor oral hygiene. If your oral hygiene is not properly maintained it can cause growth of bacteria and as a consequence bad breath.

Here are some causes that lead to a growth of bacteria and bad breath:

1. Lack of flossing and cleaning regularly with fluoride

2. Different foods like garlic or onion can cause bad breath

3. Dry mouth due to some medications like antidepressants or lack of saliva found in Sjogren’s syndrome

4. Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) and gastritis especially H. pylori gastrin is a frequent cause of bad breath.  H. pylori cause urea production in the stomach and can be detected by a breath test, which can be done in a local family doctor’s office.

Bacteria can be treated in two weeks with antibiotics and antacid therapy. It is also important to not ignore the growth of bacteria because this growth could lead to ulcers or even cancer.

Here are some tips that you can do at home to keep your mouth fresh and bacteria free.

Mouth rinse and dental floss

The proper healing of dental diseases

Avoid dry mouth

Drink plenty of water

Try to eat sugar free candy and/or gum

No coffee or soft drinks

Adjust diet, avoid garlic and onions

No alcohol

Most importantly, if you have bad breath, see a doctor who can help you take care of the H. pylori and gastroenterology problems.