Bad Breath

What bad breath means

Estimated reading time: 2 min.

 Bad breath can have various causes. Most often, the reason for unpleasant breath is poor oral hygiene. However, inflammations in the oral cavity, oral thrush or gastrointestinal diseases can also result in unusually strong bad breath. You can find out how to combat bad breath and when you should see a dentist here.

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What triggers bad breath?

The causes of bad breath are manifold. In addition, bad breath depends on the time of day and food intake. Furthermore, it can be distinguished whether bad breath originates directly in the oral cavity or is not of oral origin.

In many cases, the causes of bad breath are oral: frequently, certain bacteria in the interdental spaces release sulfur when saliva or food residues decompose. Food and stimulants as well as a dry mouth or an empty stomach can also trigger bad breath in the short term. It should also be noted that a wide variety of disorders in the gastrointestinal tract can be possible causes.

How can you tell if you have bad breath?

It's hard to check your own breath for bad breath. With these tips, it's easier to tell if you have bad breath:

• Press your wrist briefly against your tongue, let the saliva dry, and smell that spot
• Check if your tongue is coated and remove the coating with a tongue cleaner if necessary
• Clean teeth and interdental spaces with dental floss and check for bad breath

What helps against bad breath?

You can often counteract unpleasant breath on your own. But what to do against bad breath?

The most important thing is to clean the teeth and oral cavity several times a day. Regular and thorough oral hygiene can not only fight bad breath, but also prevent it. Attention: the spaces between the teeth and the tongue must not be forgotten. 

Avoiding factors that promote bad breath is also in your hands. These include reducing stress and avoiding mouth breathing, as well as giving up cigarettes, alcohol and sweets.

You should also schedule regular checkups with your dentist to prevent bad breath and tooth damage. If you want to counteract bad breath with a mouthwash, you should also ask your dentist for advice. He or she can recommend a suitable product. The use of pastilles, chewing gum or mouth sprays is suitable for temporarily improving bad breath - but they cannot replace thorough dental and oral hygiene.

When to see a doctor for bad breath?

In the case of unusually persistent and long-lasting bad breath, the best person to contact is your dentist. He or she will examine the oral cavity to determine the cause and severity of the bad breath. Appropriate therapy depends largely on the cause.

The doctor can repair dental defects and, if necessary, clean or replace poorly maintained dentures. Professional teeth cleaning also helps in many cases. If the dentist cannot identify an oral cause, a general illness is suspected. In this case, he will refer you to your family doctor or the relevant specialist.

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