Halitosis

Halitosis is the medical term for bad breath. Halitosis can have a number of causes.

Causes:

• Bacterial decomposition of organic substances in the oral cavity
• Infection of the tonsils or sinuses
• Intestinal diseases
• Coating on the tongue, poor oral hygiene
• Gum infections
• Fungal infections
• Poor care of removable dental prostheses
• Dietary habits
• High consumption of nicotine and alcohol
• Sulphur-containing drugs

We are often confronted with the subject of bad breath in day-to-day life. However, it is rarely mentioned, because people are afraid to bring up this sensitive subject, even though talking about it could help those affected. Most people with halitosis do not notice it themselves and therefore do not have the opportunity to do something about it.

What can be done to prevent halitosis?

In acute situations, such as before business appointments, sprays, mouth washes or chewing gum can help, but these do not tackle the cause of bad breath.

To solve the problem over the long term, continual care of the teeth and the whole oral cavity is essential. But regular visits should be made to the dentist so that causes can be identified and treated early on. This includes the treatment of caries and the removal of tartar (dental calculus) through professional tooth cleaning.

Forms of periodontitis can also cause halitosis. In this case, we start with a bacterial germ analysis. With this, we can combat all germ types with antibiotics.

The colouring and subsequent lasering of bacteria is another possible way of treating persistent halitosis.

What you can do outside the dental practice

Twice a day, when you brush your teeth, remove the coating on your tongue. Special scrapers and brushes are available for this. You should also regularly floss between the teeth.

• Increase salivation through water or sugar-free gum
• Eat a healthy diet
• Reduce cigarette consumption

If you are affected, please contact us. We will advise you, try to find the causes and tackle these successfully.