Hey, you’re doing a great job with your Oral hygiene! But bad breath (Halitosis as we call it) can sometimes be due to reasons other than teeth or gums.
Here are a few possible reasons-
1. Dry mouth-which is reduced saliva in your mouth can help bacteria build up and can cause bad odour. Solution: keep yourself hydrated with regular steps of water and can use
sugar free chewing gum, which will stimulate saliva. But if dry mouth is not your reason, let’s check the next one.
2. Throat infection or tonsil stones- you can examine yourself by opening your mouth wide and checking if there are any white stones in your tonsils. Solution: if this is the case, consult a doctor and one round of antibiotics will suffice.
3. One of the main causes: acid reflux: sometimes, the stomach acids come up to your throat, or if you feel any heartburns often, this can cause bad smell, which arises from the deeper throat or the pharynx. Solution: you can consult a gastroenterologist or physician and get prescribed a medicine for your acid reflux or any antacid liquids.
4. Certain foods can also cause halitosis. Let me know your diet to rule out this cause.
Additional tips :
1. Make sure (while you’re cleaning your tongue), to use the bristle part of your toothbrush and clean the posterior part of your tongue, that is the last part of your tongue. During this process, you may also feel a gag. Which means you are doing it correctly.
2. Personal tip- dilute one tbsp apple cider vinegar (any brand) in a glass of water and drink in the mornings before breakfast. The vinegar will help clear out the bad smell from your food canal also, help you in digestion.
Next Steps
1. Consider professional dental cleaning or wash (oral prophylaxis or scaling as we call it) as this will help remove food, debris and plaque which cannot be removed by manual brushing.
2. Use a clorhexidine mouthwash for 15 days. (one cap diluted in half a glass of water twice daily).
Health Tips
Check for allergies before using the above mentioned medications.