Bad breath due to cavities, how to deal with it?

Bad breath can occur due to food consumed, lack of oral hygiene and dental hygiene, and certain health problems. In some people, bad odors can also come from the mouth because there is a cavity in the tooth even though you don't feel a toothache. Check out the explanation and how to fix it below!

Bad breath due to cavities, how come?

The mouth is a home for various types of bacteria. These bacteria live by eating sugar from food and drink scraps that are tucked between the gaps of the teeth.

Digestion of bacteria then produces acids that can erode the surface of the teeth and make teeth porous. This acid will continue to erode the teeth into it and gradually cause decay.

The tooth surface eventually crumbles slowly and small holes form on the teeth. The longer the bacteria and acid stick to the teeth, the more cavities and decay will increase.

These bacteria continue to live and multiply in cavities. When digesting food, the bacteria in cavities also produce waste products that cause bad breath.

Launching the Mayo Clinic, this condition, also known as halitosis in the media world, can make your self-confidence decrease. Moreover, it also affects about 25 percent of people. Eating certain foods and the presence of certain conditions can also cause bad breath.

The website of the Oral Health Education Unit of the Department of Health, owned by the Hong Kong government, says the smell can get worse if the mouth is filled with bacteria like Fusobacterium, P. intermedia, andT. denticola. The three bacteria break down proteins into sulfide compounds. This compound causes bad breath due to cavities and bad breath.

How to get rid of bad breath due to cavities

About 80% of cases of bad breath originate from problems with the mouth and teeth. Therefore, the solution needs to start from the health of your mouth and teeth.

Here are some tips you can do to prevent bad breath due to cavities:

1. Maintain oral and dental hygiene

If you rarely clean your mouth and teeth, the bacteria will continue to multiply and make bad breath worse. You can avoid bad breath due to cavities by implementing the following steps:

• Brush your teeth at least twice a day, then continue by using dental floss.
• Brush your teeth using an electric toothbrush or a small tip to clean hard-to-reach parts of your teeth.
• Using a special toothpaste for cavities
• Gargle with an antiseptic mouth rinse after brushing your teeth.
• Clean the surface of the tongue from bacteria, dirt, and dead cells.

2. Routinely go to the dentist

Routine checkups at least every 6 months are very important to prevent bad breath due to cavities. This is because brushing your teeth regularly is not enough to maintain maximum oral hygiene.

During the visit, the dentist will use special tools and techniques to thoroughly clean the mouth and teeth. The tools used are able to remove plaque more efficiently.

In addition, dentists can also detect the risk of forming new holes in teeth and other health problems, such as gum disease, infections, and tooth decay.

3. Drink enough water

Drinking water will keep your mouth moist and clean your mouth from any bacteria and debris that has gotten stuck. That way, you can reduce the exposure to bacteria and acids that erode the surface of your teeth.

You can also drink milk to minimize bad breath. Avoid sugary drinks containing sugar, soda, flavored drinks, and the like so that no sugar sticks to the cracks of the teeth.

4. Gargle with a mouthwash

If you have routinely brushed your teeth in the right way but bad breath due to cavities has not gone away, there is nothing wrong with trying other methods. Things that can be done to overcome this is to rinse with use mouthwash.

In a study it was found that mouthwash or antibacterial mouthwash is claimed to be very good at controlling bad breath. Pay attention to mouthwash that contains content chlorehexidine and cetylpyridinium because it is useful for reducing the number of bacteria in the mouth.

Then, you can also choose a mouthwash with chlorine dioxide as well zinc as it helps remove bad odors by neutralizing bad odors.

5. Reduce coffee intake

Most people including you probably need their caffeine intake from coffee to start the day. This aims to increase enthusiasm and relieve drowsiness.

However, when you are experiencing bad breath due to cavities, try to reduce your daily coffee intake. Not only does it stain teeth, it turns out that coffee has a high enough sulfur content to cause bad breath.

Not only that, the caffeine content in tea or coffee can dry out your mouth. It also increases bad breath.

6. Avoid consuming alcohol

Excessive consumption of alcohol is not good for your health. One of them is that it can increase bad breath which is also due to cavities.

In a 2018 study, published in the journal Microbiome, researchers found higher concentrations of bad bacteria. This is related to dental problems such as gum disease and triggers bad breath.

Plus, alcohol can also be a trigger for acid reflux which causes stomach acid to rise up into the throat and produce an odor.

Bad breath due to cavities is really annoying. If left untreated, this condition can lead to more severe health problems such as gum disease or infection.

7. Consumption of certain fruit

Another way you can try to get rid of bad breath due to cavities is to eat certain fruits.

Like apples which are claimed to have a positive effect on bad breath. In a study showed that apples contain natural compounds to neutralize bad breath. In addition, its content is also useful for producing saliva which works against bad breath.

However, you can prevent it in a number of fairly simple ways. If indeed the cause is a cavity, immediately go to the dentist to fill it. After that, don't forget to keep your mouth and teeth clean using the methods above.