Do you feel embarrassed or insecure each time you talk to with someone? Having bad breath can impact your life in many ways, especially when it starts to prevent you from engaging more with others. We all get bad breath at times, especially after diving into a meal full of garlic and onions. But how can you tell when your bad breath is normal, or something more serious? Here we’ll explore a few signs that can help you indicate if it’s a deeper issue and when it's time to visit your dentist to see if they can help.
Do You Really Have Bad Breath?
It can be tricky to determine if you do in fact, have bad breath. Some people just tend to be overly concerned about this even when they don’t have any odour to begin with. The tricky part is that we’re not good at judging for ourselves. So if you have a close friend or family member, ask them to help confirm if you have an odour (but just don’t plan on doing this after eating a garlicky pizza!).
Is it Persistent?
One of the most common indicators that can determine whether your bad breath is normal or something more serious is how persistent it is. As mentioned, it’s completely reasonable to need a mint or two after eating something particularly aromatic like onions. But if your partner, family member, or friend is noticing an odour from your mouth on a regular basis, then it could be a deeper issue than what you just had for lunch.
How's Your Dental Hygiene?
If you’ve been skipping out on regular brushing and flossing, this will definitely contribute to a funky smelling mouth. So before it’s time to visit your dentist, give yourself a week of making a few lifestyle improvements. This should include brushing (we recommend using an oscillating toothbrush for a thorough cleaning) and flossing twice per day, brushing your tongue (since it can harbour bacteria too) and also boosting your intake of water to flush out your mouth more often.
Bad breath can occur for a number of reasons, especially if you’re a smoker or don’t take proper care of your teeth and gums. Try to make a few lifestyle changes to your daily habits, like improving oral care and hydrating more. If these don’t seem to be helping, then give us a call at Carlingwood Dental. We take your oral health seriously and can help you get to the bottom of what’s causing your bad breath.
