Let’s face it, bad breath is embarrassing. No one wants to say hi to a friend only to see them recoil because of the smell coming out of their mouth. And while it is a sensitive issue, it’s nothing to be ashamed of, as it’s also a very common one. Most adults will experience bad breath at some point in their lives, the trick is to know where to go to get help. Covering it over with breath freshener or minty chewing gum isn’t going to get to the root cause.
The dentist in Manchester is a good first point of call. Many dental practices in the area, such as Smylife, run fresh breath clinics to help treat the causes of bad breath, or the dentist will look for the signs during a regular check-up.
Everyone has bacteria in their mouth. In themselves, they aren’t harmful, but the acids that they give off are. Bacteria feed on the sugars in our food and so once we eat, they get to chow down and then begin to produce the acid that’s harmful to our teeth and can potentially cause a bad smell.
There are many reasons why someone may have bad breath. These include:
- A build-up of bacteria in the mouth due to poor dental hygiene
- Smoking
- Illnesses such as nasal and stomach problems
- Diabetes
- Strongly flavoured food and drinks.
If the bad breath is due to poor dental hygiene, the dentist in Manchester can review with the patient their oral healthcare routine and offer them tips to improve it. Introducing a mouthwash once or twice a day may help, along with regular twice-daily brushing and flossing. It’s important to brush the gums, chewing surfaces of the teeth and the tongue to really make sure that as many bacteria as possible are removed. An electric toothbrush can also give a hygiene routine a boost. Also, regular check-ups, including a scale and polish clean with the dental hygienist, are vital.
Smokers may need more thorough dental hygiene care as tobacco is harmful to teeth and the smell can linger in the mouth. They may need to see the dentist and hygienist more often than twice a year.
