Hampering Halitosis: Everything You Need To Know About Bad Breath And Fighting It

According to a survey conducted by the American Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry, 99.7% of adults agreed that a healthy smile is socially important. What goes without saying is that the aforementioned percentage of people probably don't want to have bad breath accompanying their smiles. That's socially important.

Of course, you know that a good smile is more than the aesthetic side of what cosmetic dentists do. A healthy smile embodies several aspects of dental care that people often neglect. Today, we're going to fight bad breath. It plagues more people than you'd think and ways to fight it are oft easily overlooked. Let's explore bad breath.

What Is Bad Breath?

Clinically referred to as Halitosis, bad breath can stem from a few different places. Most commonly, bad breath is caused by poor oral hygiene. However, bad breath can also come from unhealthy habits, particular foods, and even underlying health issues beyond the scope of the dental practice.

Oral Hygiene

Something that's been ground into our routines since we were children, adults grow notoriously lax in practicing proper oral hygiene. Not regularly brushing, flossing, and rinsing causes plaque to build up, changing the healthy bacterial ecosystem of your mouth and giving a place for odor-causing bacteria to thrive and stink things up.

Certain foods with strong odors and habits like smoking, chewing tobacco, excessive alcohol consumption, and vaping can also cause bad breath that lingers. Sometimes even our own toothbrushes can be a culprit. Be sure to replace your toothbrush every two to three months to avoid using a bacteria riddled brush to attempt to "clean" your mouth.

Fight It

The best way to battle bad breath is by keeping up with good dental care habits. Of course, you might have excellent oral hygiene, but that's never a replacement for regular dental checkups. Whether or not the problem is bad breath, having checkups from dental professionals is the wisest thing you can do to supplement healthy oral hygiene practices. Healthy habits with a healthy lifestyle will ensure your smile is sparkling radiantly with fresh breath to boot.

Are you not in love with your smile? Do you have questions about your oral health? The dentists at Aesthetic Family Dental Care are here to help you get the happiest, healthiest smile you could ever dream of. Contact us today.