Bad breath is a common complaint from our Glasgow dental patients. Bad breath can be embarrassing and can make you avoid smiling and talking to people. If you suffer from bad breath then do not worry as we can help you.
What causes bad breath?
There are several different things that can cause bad breath and so it is important to find the cause first so that it can be appropriately treated. Many people have bad breath when the wake up in the morning also known as ‘morning breath’, this is quite normal and is nothing to worry about. This is caused by two things: firstly when you are sleeping during the night bacteria in your mouth will multiply creating plaque and also bad breath. By brushing your teeth in the morning you can tackle this. Secondly as you will not have eaten any food throughout the night you will be getting some smells coming from your stomach and you will need to eat some food for this to go away.
Other common causes of bad breath are:
- Gum disease
- Infections in the mouth (dental abscess)
- High protein diets
- Fasting
- Not cleaning teeth regularly or properly
What can we do to tackle bad breath?
For most people good oral hygiene with regular brushing and flossing at home is the best defence against bad breath. We also advised people with gum problems or that continue to have problems with bad breath to visit us regularly for a scale and polish so that we can remove tartar and bacteria from the mouth. Also eating sugar free gum after meals will help to tackle bacteria in the mouth and keep your breath fresh.
If you have any concerns about your mouth then don’t worry as you are not alone. Contact us and we will be able to help you.