If you're constantly struggling to keep your breath fresh, find the solutions you need soon. Your health, diet, and the condition of your teeth can all affect how well your breath smells during the day or night. Learn more about bad breath and what you can do to remedy your halitosis below.

What Makes Your Breath Smell So Unpleasant?

In order to treat your bad breath properly, you must first learn why you have it. Although eating a steady diet of garlic, onions, and other pungent foods can cause bad breath, so can your health. Conditions, such as diabetes and gastrointestinal disorders, can change the natural environment inside your mouth. The conditions can cause excessive amounts of bacteria to grow on your teeth, tongue, and gums over time. 

If you think your health is the reason behind your bad breath, inform your doctor immediately. They may be able to replace your medications with something that doesn't affect your breath. 

If your breath still doesn't smell fresh, have a dentist clean your teeth and gums.

How Does a Dental Cleaning Freshen Your Breath?

Bacteria can hide just about anywhere in your mouth, including around your gumline. The bristles on your toothbrush might not reach or clean these areas properly. If the bacteria inside your mouth increase, it can lead to chronic halitosis. A teeth cleaning can remedy this issue for you.

Before a dentist cleans your teeth, gums, and other parts of your mouth, they'll examine you. A dentist needs to make sure you don't have tooth decay, gum disease, or oral cancer. These dental conditions can cause halitosis over time. If you do have a dental condition, a dental provider will need to care for it before they clean your teeth.

If a dental condition isn't the reason for your halitosis, a provider will go ahead and clean your teeth and gums. They will generally use a scraping tool to clean the surfaces of your tooth enamel. A dentist may also use a polishing tool to buff the surface of your enamel during the cleaning.

If you have hard plaque or tartar above your gumline, a provider may need to schedule you for a deeper mouth cleaning. Tartar can lead to halitosis and gum disease in some adults. Gum disease can cause permanent damage to your teeth and gums if it goes untreated. 

You can freshen your breath and keep it fresh by contacting a dental provider today. Contact a dentistry for more information regarding teeth cleaning services.