Smelly breath - getting your teeth cleaned can usually fix it.
Posted on Fri, Feb 17, 2012 @ 02:19 AM
Chronic halitosis (chronic bad breath) has multiple causes. While the symptom may seem more of an embarrassment and a annoyance it can occasionally be a sign of serious or systemic disease so it is best to get checked out.
Chronic halitosis is a condition in which a person produces an offensive odor from their oral or nasal regions and they’re unable to eliminate it through normal oral hygiene techniques, such as flossing or brushing.You should see your Dentist to rule out the simple causes such as bad teeth or tartar build up.
Bad breath that continues for a long period of time is often referred to as chronic halitosis. It’s a condition that has been around for a very long time, but it is only in last century that we have started to may much attention to it, and only in the last decade that we have made any real progress in finding ways to deal with the problem.
Chronic Halitosis Causes
The most common cause of chronic halitosis (chronic bad breath) is an oral condition such as bacterial build up in the mouth through gingivitis, a cavity, or abscess. this is easily removed with a dental cleaning.
Most halitosis sufferers have no idea that they have a bad breath problem unless somebody informs them. It creates social barriers for the people who suffer from it, and many people are seeking a halitosis cure.
Seeking a halitosis treatment should start at Redmond Molloy first, to check for possible gum disease, infections or tooth decay.
Halitosis may be normal or physiological. This would be typically seen in so called “morning breath” which results from enzymatic breakdown of cellular proteins and amino acids. Other physiological origins of halitosis include hunger, dehydration, or it may be related to the ingestion of certain foods.
Nasal or throat conditions may cause halitosis. Common conditions include sinusitis; chronic nasal airway obstruction with secondary drying effect in the throat lining; chronic tonsillitis particularly when associated with deep crevices known as crypts which accumulate partially digested food; other inflammatory conditions associated with injury to the mucosal lining (ex canker sores); or tumors of the mucosal lining. These conditions generally are also readily evident on physical examination by your Dentist.
Some more chronic halitosis causes may be:
- Foods high in protein and odorous foods can cause chronic halitosis.
- Dental cavities, tooth decay, dental abscess and gum disease can also be cause of chronic halitosis (bad breath).
- Tobacco smoking and chewing
- Not proper or infrequent teeth brushing and flossing
- Dry mouth
There are also a number of medical problems that are associated with halitosis such as uncontrolled Diabetes, kidney and liver failure. Occasionally halitosis is a sign of systemic illness. Examples of this include uremia (kidney failure), a complication of diabetes known as diabetic ketoacidosis, or liver failure. These conditions would generally be associated with other more serious symptoms.
To cure halitosis that is temporary in nature, there a few things you can do right now that will help such as brushing your teeth and using mouthwash after eating meals or snacks. Floss at least once a day in order to remove decaying food that often becomes trapped in crevices between teeth.
