Do Cavities Cause Bad Breath? Causes and Treatment

Tooth Decay

Bad breath or halitosis is a common oral problem faced by many people all over the world. Bad breath can be caused by a number of things like cavities, tonsil stones, and poor oral hygiene. If you are experiencing bad breath that doesn’t seem to go away with proper oral hygiene, you might want to consider paying a visit to your dentist to check for cavities. Cavities are a common cause of bad breath.

How cavities cause bad breath

Cavities are formed when bacteria that live between and on the surface of your teeth start producing acids that eat away on the enamel and dentine of the tooth. These bacteria live on food remnants that are stuck in the crannies and nooks of your teeth when you don’t brush and floss well. The presence of these bacteria is what can cause bad breath even after thoroughly brushing because your brush may not reach the holes created by the bacteria on your tooth. Fortunately, bad breath from cavities can easily be rectified with a visit to the dentist.
If you have cavities, the dentist will recommend that you have it removed and treated well to avoid further damage to the tooth and the adjacent teeth. Common treatments for cavities are dental fillings and root canal treatment. These treatments will not only stop the cavity from developing further but also restore the structure of your tooth and, of course, your bad breath.

What to do to avoid bad breath caused by cavities

The good thing is that bad breath caused by cavities can often be treated professionally by a dentist. Carrum Downs Dental Clinic, for instance, offers specialized dental services such as treating cavities, among other dental problems. The only way to treat bad breath caused by cavities is by having the cavity treated by a dentist. The dentist will remove the bad bacteria affecting your tooth and fill the tooth afresh to prevent further decay. However, there is more you can do to avoid getting cavities in the future.
After having your cavity treated, it is important to maintain good oral hygiene because poor oral hygiene is what causes cavities in the first place. This means that if you take good care of your oral health, you keep cavities at bay, and, in turn, bad breath has no chance in your mouth. Here are some good oral hygiene practices that you can observe to keep bad breath at bay.

  • Brush twice a day but especially at night to keep your teeth surfaces clean
  • Floss every night before you go to bed to prevent food particle from building up between your teeth
  • Scrap your tongue from time to time
  • Visit your dentist at least twice a year for a regular check-up and professional cleaning
  • Eat healthy and avoid food that contains processed sugar

Conclusion

All these healthy oral practices will help you prevent the development of cavities and also bad breath. If cavities are not the cause of your bad breath, then your dentist should probe further on what is causing your bad breath. It could be from other causes of bad breath like tonsil stones. Visit Carrum Downs Dental Clinic for more information on how you can prevent bad breath and for cavity treatments.

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