Bad Breath

Causes of bad breath

  • Having taken strong flavoured food.

    Photograph of a man eating garlics and stinky Tofu.
  • Oral hygiene problem.
    • Bad oral hygiene.
      • It will be accompanied by putrefied food debris.
    • Failed to thoroughly clean the denture.
      • Plaque and food debris left behind will cause bad breath.
  • Oral Diseases or Oral Problems.

    Oral Diseases such as:

    • Tooth decay

      If tooth decay has extended into the pulp, the necrotic pulp will emit foul odour.

    • Gum disease

      The accumulation of dental plaque and calculus irritates the gum, which leads to gum disease and causes bad breath.

    Oral Problem:

  • Smoking.
  • General health problems such as:
    • Respiratory system problems
      • Allergic Rhinitis (nose allergy).
      • Sinusitis (infection of sinus).
    • Alimentary tract problem (digestive system)
      • Digestive problem.
    • Diabetes

      Photograph of a medical personnel introducing the causes of bad breath.
    • Nasopharyngeal Cancer (cancer of the nose and throat)

Prevention and management

  • Avoid eating strong flavoured food.
    If you have just had strong flavoured food, you can try:

    • Brush your teeth with toothpaste.
    • Use chewing gum.
    • Rinse with mouthwash.
  • Pay attention to your regular oral hygiene practices to prevent oral problems.

    • Keep the teeth clean
      Brush your teeth with fluoride toothpaste before bed at night as well as in the morning and floss your teeth daily.
    • Reduce the frequency of drinks and food intake.
    • Keep the denture clean
      Thoroughly clean it every night and immerse it in a glass of water when it is not worn.
  • Visit a dentist for regular dental check-up.

    • To ensure whether the bad breath is caused by oral diseases such as gum disease or tooth decay, or whether it is caused by insufficient saliva production; so that appropriate treatment can be given.
  • Quit smoking.

  • Visit a doctor for body check-up.

    • If you don't have any oral problem, nor have you eaten anything with a strong flavour, your bad breath may be caused by other medical problems. In that case, you should see a physician to find out the cause and receive appropriate treatment.