Nobody likes to admit it, but many people suffer with bad breath or the medical term, halitosis. Bad breath can be embarrassing and tough on those around you. Luckily, this problem is often easy to fix. Solutions include good hygiene, regular dentist visits, and ruling out other factors or underlying medical problems.

Potential causes of bad breath include:

  • Tobacco use
  • Poor Dental hygiene
  • Gum disease, cracked teeth/fillings, and decay
  • Dry mouth
  • Tonsil stones
  • Medications
  • Diabetes, Liver disease, respiratory tract infection, chronic bronchitis, and acid reflux
  • Diet

In order to keep halitosis at a minimum, it is important to practice good oral hygiene and brush twice per day, floss and scrape/clean the tongue. An electric brush is recommended as well as an antibacterial mouth rinse. It is also important to visit the dentist every 6 months to check for broken teeth, cavities and gum disease which all harbor bacteria. Other things that can be helpful to lessen bad breath are staying hydrated, chewing sugarless gum, cutting back on alcohol, cigarettes, etc. For bad breath caused by a systemic disease, visit your medical doctor.