Causes of Bad Breath: Gum Disease
There are many different and diverse causes of bad breath; gum disease is just one of them. Yet, we tend to gloss over this one and ignore it when looking for a bad breath cure. Why is this? We possibly ignore gum disease as a cause of halitosis because we tend to ignore gum disease in general. When brushing your teeth, what do you spend most of your time on? Your teeth, more than likely. Our gums go through a lot and are very susceptible to bacterial infections; taking care of them, therefore, should be more of a priority than it is. In this article, I will address gum disease and will explain how it could possibly cause your bad breath.
Bad breath, as we all know, is a miserable and annoying occurrence. It puts distance between us and our friends and family, makes it so no one wants to kiss us, and makes our mouth taste bad – and with it, everything we eat. Even the bad breath we get in the morning is irritating, and that is completely normal. Chronic bad breath – or halitosis – is even more so. Thus, to defeat it we have to first understand how it occurs and why it becomes a factor in your life.
Even though you cannot see them, there are over 600 types of bacteria inhabiting your mouth. Think about that. Invisible organisms you cannot detect are crawling over every inch of your mouth – your teeth, your tongue, and your gums. Usually this is not a problem; if you have good dental hygiene, you keep most of them at bay. But when we neglect our gums – and that is quite often – bacteria can find a home in them. When they do, gum disease results.
Known by its medical name, gingivitis, gum disease affects millions every year and is most often caused by poor hygiene. Symptoms of this disease include sensitive or bleeding gums, loose teeth, and, of course, halitosis. Most people, for some reason, think that gums bleeding after brushing is normal. It isn’t, and is usually a sign of periodontal disease (another name for this condition). The halitosis in question is caused by the bacteria that caused the infection in the first place, which makes the bad breath more difficult to treat than it would be if it were just due to surface bacteria on the tongue.
If you suspect you have halitosis due to this disease, you should concentrate on treating gum disease first and foremost. Go see a dentist so that he or she can evaluate your gums and your teeth and prescribe treatment. Options for treatment include oral hygiene routines, detailed cleaning, and even periodontal surgery if required. A scaling and root planing procedure is both expensive and unpleasant, though, and before you decide to go in that direction consider washing your mouth with green tea regularly as it has been scientifically proven to kill plaque forming bacteria. In doing so it will indirectly treat your bad breath as well and it really is one of the best remedies for bad breath and periodontal disease. I would take a look at treating Gingivitis is a bad condition to have, but it can be resolved – you just have to seek professional attention as soon as you can. To help with detection, let halitosis be a guide. If you have chronic bad breath and your gums are bleeding, then a visit to the dentist is in order.
To help out at home, remember to lightly brush your gums with a soft-bristled brush when you brush your teeth. Flossing also helps to remove those food particles that form around the gum line. Prevent this condition from happening to you with a solid oral hygiene routine. And remember: of the causes of bad breath, gum disease is the most likely one to sneak up on you.
