Bad breath is a complaint that causes social and psychological problems, especially in civilized societies. Although it is difficult to define bad breath as a disease, it can accompany or be a precursor to many diseases.
The offensive odor from the mouth is called “halitosis” or “halitosis”. Bad breath can be divided into physiological and pathological.
Halitosis, which is considered physiological, in other words, normal, is the smell created by bacteria that reproduce on the back of the tongue or gases accumulated in the digestive tract when the individual wakes up in the morning.
It can be prevented by brushing the teeth and the back of the tongue and using zinc mouthwashes if necessary.
Bad breath after feeding is also considered normal. For example, in people who eat garlic, aromatic gases accumulated in the blood cause bad breath while being expelled through the breath. These types of odors do not require treatment.
Pathological halitosis, on the other hand, is bad breath that requires treatment, which we call real halitosis.
The causes of bad breath should be sought in the mouth first; If there are rotten teeth, gingivitis, or dentures that cannot be cleaned, the necessary treatments should be applied.
If there is no such situation in the mouth or if the person complains of bad breath after treatment, other factors should be reviewed. Among these other factors
Upper and lower respiratory tract infections
Diabetes
Liver or kidney failure
Metabolism disorders include
In addition, bad breath may occur in situations such as hunger, fasting, diet, pregnancy.
As mentioned before, the cause of bad breath should first be investigated in the mouth. Tooth decay and gingivitis are important causes of bad breath. Worn prostheses should be checked and replaced if necessary. Oral care should be given importance, in line with the recommendation of the dentist, besides brushing teeth, auxiliary products such as dental floss and mouth shower should be used.
Apart from these, measures such as drinking more water, reducing the consumption of simple sugar, chewing the bites well, using products such as chewing gum and mouthwash, and not smoking can be applied.
