Thread by @justzaniexoxo

A thread on BAD BREATH

I get asked countless times on bad breath, what causes it...how do you fix it....how do you prevent it???

Here is how i like to break it down.

There are 3 main places where bad breath could be coming from.
1. Your oral cavity (mouth)
2. Respiratory system
3. Digestive System (your gut)

If itz coming from your mouth it could be caused by a tooth cavity (zino rakaora) or gum disease (swollen gums, puffy gums, bleeding gums, loose teeth) and tonsilitis (AKA maTonsils 😅)

It could also be an infection in your mouth or a disease that is affecting the soft tissues in your mouth leading to bad breath.

Now respiratory diseases that could lead to bad breath are pnemonia, bronchitis, chronic sinus infections or post nasal drip.

Illnesses of the digestive system that could cause bad breath are chronic acid reflux, diabetes, even liver or kidney problems.

Now this is not to scare you, but just to make you aware that bad breath is not just as simple as saying munhu haakweshi mazino. When someone is not getting fresh breath even after brushing teeth it might mean they have one of these issues.

So how do we get rid of bad breath??

Simple...you visit the dentist 😊

You get your oral cavity checked.
If itz tooth decay, you can get a filling done, a root canal or an extraction (pull it out) if itz already too badly broken down.

If itz gingivitis, that is gum disease, you get cleaning done which is going to remove hardened plaque which we call calculus or tartar and clean out the bacteria causing the puffiness of your gums. Giving you a fresh clean mouth. It also stops gum bleeding.

If your dentist does not find anything wrong with your oral cavity then he/she will refer you to a medical doctor to then rule out all other causes of bad breath.

Now this is very important, the mistake that i find most patients do is they change Drs when they do not see an improvement. What this does is just take you back to square 1 because when you come to me i am just going to do a check up...clean your teeth again

It is better to go back to the same dentist and say "Look, i dnt see a difference" and then they will know kuti itz time to look for another possible cause of the bad breath.

Another mistake is people may experience pain during their first cleaning and vow to NEVER GO BACK 😅😅

I can understand if you had a terrible first experience, but sometimes the first cleaning can be a bit uncomfotable especially if your gums are swollen..

It is important to communicate with your dentist when you are in pain then they can be more gentle, and also once you start going in for cleaning every 6months you wont have as much build up and your gums will not be puffy anymore by the 2nd or 3rd time..

Meaning it gets less and less uncomfotable the more you come in for cleaning.

If you stop coming the calculus will build up...the gum disease continues....spreads to the bone...your teeth get loose...and they fall out

I mean im not tryna scare you buuuut

Wow, this became longer than i expected!! I shud start a blog 😅

I hope this helps someone! 😀

Feel free to ask questions, i love to educate on oral health 😊

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