Bad breath is not only caused by poor oral hygiene, but can also occur due to various diseases. Bad breath caused by disease generally has a distinctive odor, depending on the cause and which organ is affected.
Research shows that 80% of bad breath is caused by problems with oral health. However, there are also several diseases that can cause bad breath. Each of these diseases causes different mouth odors, ranging from a sweet smell like the smell of fruit, to a bad smell like feces.
Recognizing Various Diseases that Cause Bad Breath
Some diseases that can cause bad breath are:
1. Cavities
Leftover food and bacteria can get trapped in the holes in the teeth for a long time to rot. This condition causes the mouth to smell bad. Apart from cavities, gingivitis and dry mouth can also be the cause of bad breath.
2. Sinusitis
Bad breath experienced by people with sinusitis can occur when mucus containing bacteria from the nose goes down the throat. Bad breath with sinusitis tends to smell like feces. In addition to bad breath, sinusitis sufferers can also experience prolonged runny nose, green or yellow nasal mucus, fever, and headaches.
3. Stomach acid disease
If bad breath due to sinusitis smells like feces, bad breath caused by acid reflux disease tends to smell sour. This can happen because stomach acid rises into the esophagus, causing a sour odor in the mouth.
4. Diabetes
Bad breath that appears due to diabetes smells like fruit. Bad breath in diabetics occurs when there is not enough insulin to take sugar from the blood as an energy source, so the body burns fat instead. From burning this fat, ketone acids are formed which cause bad breath resembling the smell of fruit.
5. Kidney disease
Bad breath may be related to kidney disease if it smells like urine or has a fishy smell. If the kidneys are not functioning properly, toxins and waste products from the body's metabolism cannot be excreted through the urine. These toxins and waste substances then accumulate and spread throughout the body, giving rise to a urine or fishy odor that can be smelled from the mouth.
How to Overcome Bad Breath
Bad breath that occurs due to illness or health problems can be treated with treatment from a doctor. Treatment will be adjusted to the disease suffered. After the disease is resolved, bad breath generally will also disappear.
But to help reduce bad breath, you can try the following methods:
1. Routine brushing teeth
To overcome bad breath, brush your teeth regularly at least twice a day, especially after every meal. Brushing your teeth regularly can help remove food debris and bacteria from your teeth that cause bad breath.
2. Using dental floss
Brushing your teeth alone is not enough, because food scraps may still stick between your teeth. Therefore, it is recommended that you clean between your teeth using dental floss, after every brushing or at least once a day.
3. Clean the tongue regularly
The tongue is also a place for bacteria that cause bad breath to breed, so it needs to be cleaned regularly. You can use a special tongue cleaner to remove dirt and bacteria that stick to the surface of the tongue.
4. Gargle with mouthwash
To get rid of bad breath, you can use mouthwash. By gargling, leftover food and bacteria that cause bad breath can be removed and wasted.
You can use a mouthwash made from natural ingredients that contain sage leaves, betel leaves, and licorice. These ingredients are considered to be able to inhibit the growth of bacteria that cause cavities and cause bad breath, and leave a refreshing scent in the mouth.
5. Increase consumption of water
In addition to caring for dental and oral hygiene, you are also advised to drink plenty of water. Drinking more water can keep your mouth from getting dry, which is one of the causes of bad breath.
In addition, drinking more water can also help rinse food residue stuck in the oral cavity and between the teeth, so that decay does not occur which causes bad breath.
Get to know the cause of bad breath that you are experiencing, so that it can be treated in the right way. If bad breath doesn't go away or gets worse, consult a doctor immediately.