What’s That Smell? Is It My Breath?!
Are you concerned about how your breath smells and find yourself continuously keeping your distance when speaking with others? It is not uncommon to experience bad breath from time to time, especially after drinking a cup of coffee or eating a meal with lots of garlic. The problem is usually remedied after thoroughly brushing your teeth or even after eating a mint. The concern arises when you are continuously experiencing unexplained bad breath. This is an indication that something more serious may be occurring with your oral health. Interested in learning what bad breath means? Continue reading to find out more about the smell of your breath and what it can mean for your oral health.
Why Does My Breath Smell?
If you find yourself continuously worried about bad breath, your mouth might be trying to tell you something. While bad breath is sometimes unavoidable, especially after eating certain foods, recurring bad breath is a warning that there is a problem with your oral health. Bad breath can be caused by:
Poor Oral Hygiene
There are many reasons we stress the importance of maintaining an oral hygiene routine including brushing for two minutes twice daily and using dental floss each day as well. One reason is to help remove lingering food and bacteria from the mouth. When food and bacteria remain in the mouth for an extended period of time, it can create an unpleasant odor.
Tooth Decay
If it has been some time since your last visit to our office and you are experiencing frequent bad breath, there is a possibility you have tooth decay. Cavities and decay that remain on the teeth and are left untreated can cause an odor.
Gum Disease
During your routine examinations, we do more than inspect for tooth decay. We also check for gum disease which is an infection in the gums. Frequent bad breath is one of the few warning signs of this disease.
If you are located in the Burton, MI area and are experiencing bad breath, we suggest that you make an appointment as soon as possible to rule out any concerns mentioned above. We look forward to helping you fix your oral health.
