Everything in the human body is interconnected. Thus, dental health is important not only for a bright and white smile, but for your overall health. Doctors from various specialties, from heart disease to autoimmune conditions link some of the illnesses they are treating to poor dental health.

One of the more direct and noticeable influences of dental health is on your breath. More precisely, the bad odor coming from the mouth when people speak. The condition is called halitosis, and it is not just unpleasant. Left untreated, bad breath may mask other serious conditions, such as digestive and liver problems.

What Is the Link Between Dental Health and Breath?

Dental health issues, like gum disease and plaque buildup, involve lots of bacteria, attacking tooth and gum tissue. They usually originate in leftover food that was not properly removed by brushing and flossing.

In time, these bacteria cause tooth decay, have a negative impact on adequate chewing food and trigger digestive problems. Hence, the bad breath that plagues so many people.

Other Dental Health Issues Linked to Halitosis

People with removable dentures are also at risk of developing bad breath. Even if the dentures are in place, food residues can still make their way under them. This is why these people must always clean both their dentures and their mouth properly after meals.

Another cause of bad breath is the dry mouth condition. In this case, the specialized glands do not produce enough saliva. However, dry mouth can also be caused by various prescription medications, especially for urinary conditions and high blood pressure.

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What Can You Do to Treat Halitosis?

The first thing you should do is identify the underlying cause of bad breath. Thus, your first visit should be to experienced dentist. They may discover an untreated cavity, gum disease or anything pertaining to dental health.

If you still experience bad breath after solving dental health issues, you should go to your doctor for supplementary tests.

What Can You Do During the Treatment?

Bad breath can affect both your professional and personal life. It can negatively impact your self esteem and undermine your efforts to advance on your career path. It is a sensitive topic, which you cannot discuss easily with anyone, except your closest friends and family members.

Thus, you should consider ways to mask bad breath during treatment. Attention! Do not simply try to cover bad breath – the cause will remain and become more serious the longer you leave it untreated.

Some ideas:

  1. Use Antibacterial Mouthwash

Mouthwash helps remove bacteria from your mouth and also leaves a fresh minty flavor in your mouth.

  1. Reduce Consumption of Foods with a Pungent Taste

Various seasonings and foods like onion, garlic contain specific oils which the stomach absorbs then transfers to the lungs. Hence, you will have bad breath.

  1. Reduce or Give Up Smoking

Tobacco causes many health problems, many of them fatal. Among these, we mention bad breath, gum disease and a yellowish aspect of the teeth.