Bad breath, or halitosis, can be embarrassing and unpleasant, and can result in social avoidance.
It can be a result of:
- Diet
- Poor oral hygiene
- Dehydration
- Dry mouth
- Smoking and alcohol
- Gum disease or periodontitis
- Tooth decay
- Dental abscess
- Salivary gland problems
- Tonsil infection
- Cold/flu and throat infections
- Lung infections
- Kidney or liver disease
- Some medications
What can be done about bad breath?
Because most causes of bad breath are mouth-related, we recommend seeing our dentists in Mount Waverley for a check up and clean. It will be a judgement-free zone where we can assess your oral hygiene habits and the presence of cavities, gum disease, dry mouth, swelling.
- If the bad breath is indeed mouth-related, we can suggest some strategies to improve your breath, including:
Treating the gum disease, cavities/decay, infection - Give tips on how to improve oral hygiene: the correct way to brush, cleaning interdentally including flossing, mouthwash, using a tongue scraper
- Drinking plenty of water
- Avoid smelly foods
- Avoid alcohol and coffee
- Smoking cessation
- Managing dry mouth: including chewing sugar-free gum, using dry mouth relief products
If you want to know more about bad breath and fixing it, call us on (03) 9069 3266 or visit us at 237 Blackburn Road, Mount Waverley VIC 3149.
