Bad breath can offend even the most polite people, and when you’re aware that your breath is offensive, your confidence can suffer a significant setback. Most people experience bad breath at least once in a while, usually in the form of morning breath immediately after waking. Sometimes, however, morning breath can tend to linger long after it should have dissipated. Your Astoria dentist, Dr. Leibowitz, understands how chronically offensive breath, or halitosis, can affect your daily life. Today, we explain a common source of persistent bad breath and a few ways for you to defeat it.
Tracing the Source of Chronic Bad Breath
Most instances of bad breath, including common morning breath, are caused by an excessive buildup of oral bacteria (which, consequently, is the same reason tooth decay and gum disease develop). Some of these germs release volatile sulfur compounds—the same kind of compounds that lend rotten eggs their stench—as they metabolize protein and other nutrients. Poor oral hygiene or a lack of saliva can allow these germs to multiply exponentially, overwhelming your breath with the sulfuric gases they release.
Ways to Freshen Your Breath
Brush and floss often
Hopefully, you know that brushing and flossing your teeth at least twice a day is essential to warding off tooth decay and gum disease. If you slack in your daily hygiene, the germs that form plaque and threaten your oral health can continue their destructive work undisturbed. Be sure to thoroughly brush every surface of every tooth, and carefully floss between every crevice. For best results, brush and floss before going to sleep every night.
Eat breakfast
Saliva is your mouth’s natural defense against the daily buildup of oral bacteria and the harmful substances they produce. While you sleep, your saliva flow diminishes and bacteria can gather more easily, accounting for the telltale odor of morning breath. Eat a well-balance breakfast before brushing and flossing your teeth in the morning to help restart your saliva flow
Seek professional help
Although bacteria are the most common cause, they aren’t the only reasons for your breath to turn foul. In some cases, advanced dental disease or a systemic illness can trigger bad breath as a symptom, and resolving the health issue may be the only way to finally achieve fresher breath. If improving your dental hygiene and eating breakfast don’t resolve your chronic bad breath, then visit Dr. Leibowitz immediately to determine the underlying cause and seek appropriate treatment.
Beat Bad Breath with Help from Your Astoria Dentist
To find out more about beating bad breath, or to determine if your halitosis is indicative of a larger problem, schedule a consultation with your Astoria dentist by calling our office today at (718) 728-8320. Located in the 11106 area, we proudly serve patients from Astoria, Queens, Manhattan, Brooklyn, and the surrounding communities.
