You are about to make breakfast, and you realize you ran out of milk, so it’s a good time to go to the grocery store. Before leaving your home, you put on your mask to be safe out there. It’s while driving when you smell something… Something bad.
You take your mask off to check your car looking for leftovers or anything that shouldn’t be there, but the smell disappears. It’s right there when you realize that the bad smell comes from your breath.
COVID-19 has changed everyone’s lives. Wearing a mask is now necessary to go to most places, and with that, some struggles have emerged. A lot of Americans are now more conscious about their oral hygiene due to the daily use of masks. One of the most discussed problems is bad breath (also known as halitosis). But why does this happen?
5 Causes of Bad Breath
1. You forget about your tongue when brushing
Your tongue has a lot to say when it comes to good dental health, it can even indicate certain health conditions by its color and appearance. We often tend to brush our teeth only, thinking that it will be enough when in reality, washing your tongue and cheeks as well is also crucial for the whole mouth to be clean.
2. You love stinky food
Drinking coffee, eating meals with garlic, having eggs for breakfast, or using onion and seasonings is delicious, but food can be part of the problem, specifically the breakdown of food particles in and around your teeth causing bacteria, hence a foul odor.
3. Smoking
Tobacco smoking causes an unpleasant mouth odor. Smokers and chewing tobacco consumers are also more likely to have gum disease, another source of bad breath.
4. Infections
Bad breath can be caused by tooth decay, gum disease, or mouth sores. Infections or inflammation in the nose, throat, sinuses, and diseases, such as certain types of cancer, liver failure, or acid reflux, can cause bad breath too.
5. Dry Mouth
Dry mouth happens when the salivary glands in your mouth don’t make enough saliva, which can be caused by a variety of reasons, such as dehydration, medicine consumption, anxiety, or breathing with your mouth open while sleeping.
Saliva is important because it helps cleanse your mouth by removing food residues and other particles that can cause bad odors.
Here’s how to get rid of bad breath
Fresh breath comes from healthy habits. You can start by:
- Carrying with you a portable toothbrush to wash your mouth after each meal.
- Making an appointment with your dentist in Tijuana to treat any cavities or other dental problems you may have and don’t even know about.
- Get a professional dental cleaning with your dentist. If uncleaned, plaque hardens into tartar over time, which is made out of food residues and bacteria, causing a strong smell.
- Always floss! By doing so, you’ll be able to reach and clean tiny or tight areas between your teeth, that the toothbrush just can’t.
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