Causes of Bad Breath

Halitosis, or bad breath, is a common oral health problem. Preventing it is one of the many reasons why we at Fresh Meadows Dental Care in Flushing want our patients to know how to maintain their oral hygiene. But halitosis has a few causes that may be less intuitive than gum disease or smoking that people should know to look out for.

As oral bacteria on teeth metabolize sugar, they produce acid and build up sticky layers of plaque. The build-up produces a bad smell which abates when plaque is removed by brushing and flossing. But oral bacteria can also build up on the tongue. Not only can food particles be trapped there, so can nasal drip when a patient has a cold. This is why brushing the tongue and using a tongue scraper every day is important.

Halitosis could also indicate a more serious health concern. Bacteria will multiply faster when the mouth is dried out. Both halitosis and gum disease tend to be worse in people suffering dry mouth as a side effect of medication or an illness. Diabetes suppresses the oral immune system and raises the sugar content of saliva, while acid reflux causes odorous stomach acid to enter the oral cavity. Foods in the onion and garlic family also include chemicals that travel from the bloodstream and into the lungs, where they cause bad breath. Most of these can be mitigated by drinking lots of water in addition to keeping good oral hygiene. A patient’s physician may be able to substitute medications that are causing dry mouth.

Farid Hakimzadeh, DDS, operates Fresh Meadows Dental Care at 58-47 Francis Lewis Blvd., Suite 100, Flushing, New York, 11364. To schedule an appointment, call 718-224-7272 or visit Fresh Meadows Dental and fill out a contact form.

 

Bad Breath in Children

Nobody wants bad breath, and at Fresh Meadows Dental Care, we help even our youngest patients to maintain a smile that pleases in every regard. As with adults, halitosis in children is most commonly due to poor hygiene, but there are some specific issues which should also be investigated during an examination.

Creviced soft tissue is the perfect breeding ground for bacteria, particularly if food particles can get trapped in it. Children often have not had their tonsils removed, providing one such ideal home, but the tongue is another area which foul odors often originate from. This is why oral hygiene instructions now emphasize the importance of tongue brushing, as well. People who suffer from dry mouth, which is a common side-effect of ADHD and anxiety medications, also need to take particular care of their oral hygiene.

Another reason for childhood halitosis is that children tend to get sinus infections more frequently than adults. The drip from their nasal passages is an additional food source for bacteria while mouth-breathing in response to a stuffy nose results in dry mouth. A foreign object lodged in a child’s nose will also cause nasal drip.

Farid Hakimzadeh, DDS, operates Fresh Meadows Dental Care at 58-47 Francis Lewis Blvd., Suite 100, Oakland Gardens, New York, 11364. To schedule an appointment, call 718-224-7272 or visit FreshMeadowsDental.com and fill out a contact form.