Accidental dental damage

Posted on: 23 April 2021

Bad breath is a condition that nobody wants to suffer from. Whether you had raw onions, garlic and a host of other overly fragrant food items, the moment your breath smells rancid you can easily brush your teeth to get rid of the odour. But what happens when the fetid breath does not go away even after rinsing your mouth? If this has been going for a few days or even weeks, you need to set an appointment with a dentist, as the underlying issue may not stem from the foods you are ingesting.

It is also worth noting that continual halitosis is not merely an embarrassment but could be a sign of a health issue that needs to be addressed or it will get exacerbated the longer that you wait. To give you an idea of what could be triggering the foul breath, here are some probable causes of recurring halitosis that should prompt you to see a dentist.

1. An undiagnosed infection

There is a variety of reasons why your mouth could develop a wound. Perhaps you bit the soft tissue on your inner cheeks, acquired a cut on your tongue or even hurt part of your gums, these wounds are not uncommon. What should be a cause for concern is when bacteria spreads these open sores and this leads to an infection. The longer the bacteria are not eliminated, the longer the wound festers and you could develop additional symptoms such as inflammation, tenderness, swelling, pus and so on.

One thing patients need to understand, though, is that these infections are not limited to the oral cavity. Infected sinus glands, bronchitis and more can also inadvertently cause bad breath. Hence, even if you may not be in pain, you should see a dentist so that they can carry out a comprehensive examination to determine if an infection is present.

2. Your course of medication

If your breath became foul-smelling after you started a course of treatment, the medications could likely be the cause of the halitosis. The first thing you should know is that a vast selection of medications can cause this side effect so your risk of developing bad breath is not limited to the type of illness that you are treating. Secondly, the medications lead to bad breath in a couple of ways.

When the drugs are being broken down in your system they release chemicals. As these chemicals make their way through your body, they can change how your breath smells. Alternatively, some medications end up causing dry mouth as a side effect by limiting your production of saliva. Resultantly, you develop halitosis. A dentist can help you navigate these side effects in different ways such as by substituting your drugs, encouraging you to chew sugar-free gum to facilitate saliva production and so on.