If you have ever had bad breath, you know that it is not pleasant. Oftentimes, bad breath is caused by poor diet and oral care habits, and can be treated with effective hygiene habits like brushing and flossing your teeth and then rinsing with antibacterial mouthwash. However, if bad breath is chronic, also known as halitosis, it may require a professional diagnosis to determine the root cause.

The first step is to determine if your struggles with bad breath are caused by having an ineffective oral hygiene routine. If your teeth aren’t cleaned regularly, the natural bacteria can thrive and produce sour odors in the oral cavity. Maintaining proper oral care habits includes brushing your tongue twice a day.

If hygiene doesn’t improve your breath, you may have a health issue that is causing you problems. For example, chronic dry mouth can cause bad breath when saliva production is decreased from tobacco and alcohol use, some prescription medications or frequent dehydration. Tobacco use is especially prone to bad breath because the chemicals easily permeate the soft tissues in the oral cavity.

It’s also good to receive a screening for medical conditions that cause bad breath. Complications such as diabetes or problems in the kidneys or liver can contribute to bad breath, with a slightly sweet odor on the side.

Contact Lake Highlands Dental at 214-613-1279 today if you need to see one of our dentists, Drs. Stripling, Nemovi or Sigurdson, about treatment options for bad breath in Dallas, Texas.