Bad Breath: What’s Normal and What’s Not

Have you watched someone back away in disgust when you speak too close to them? Nothing steals your self-confidence like bad breath. While you may have recently been able to get away with halitosis during your virtual meetings and online interactions, bad breath is never something that should be ignored. Bad breath can be caused by several factors, some of them are harmless and normal, but others need your attention.

What’s Normal?

It is rare to escape stinky breath completely. In fact, there are a few common situations in which bad breath is normal and nearly unavoidable. The first comes from what you’ve just eaten. There are certain foods and drinks that tend to leave their lingering odor in your mouth longer and stronger than others, such as garlic, onions and coffee. A tooth-brushing session or mouth wash rinse can typically resolve these types of odors quickly.

Another “normal” breath odor is the dreaded morning breath. Morning breath refers to your breath when you first wake up. Many people often wonder why this happens, especially since they brushed their teeth before going to sleep. Morning breath occurs because the body produces less saliva during the night, which means odor-causing bacteria is allowed to grow while you sleep.

Finally, it is not uncommon for your breath to smell bad when you are sick, such as when you have a cold or flu. The extra congestion in your nasal passages can produce post-nasal drip down your throat and create stinky breath.

When Bad Breath Needs Attention

While there are scenarios in which it is normal to experience halitosis, there are other times in which bad breath needs to be addressed by your dentist. If you have persistent bad breath that can’t be blamed on sickness, something you ate or morning time, you likely need to share your concern with a dental professional. Halitosis can be a warning sign of several dental health concerns, including the following:

• Poor dental hygiene
• Dry mouth
• Decay
• Oral infection
• Gum Disease

If you struggle to find fresh breath on a daily basis, don’t suffer through it or try to mask it with mints and gum. Call Smiles by Seese for help. We can diagnose the cause of your foul breath odor and provide an effective, long-lasting solution! A confident smile is a healthy smile.