What is halitosis?
It’s basically bad breath, and many seniors suffer from this – even with regular dental care and good oral hygiene.
Saliva is a natural mouth cleanser. It washes away bacteria and food particles, but we produce less saliva as we age. In addition, many seniors take multiple medications and have health conditions such as diabetes that dry out their mouths.
Dry mouth and the bad breath that comes with it lead to receding gums and tooth decay, causing poor oral health. Many people reach to over-the-counter mouthwash to treat bad breath and many of these have alcohol in them that kill bacteria – but only for a short time. But the alcohol dries out your mouth, leading to bad breath and poor oral health, causing many to reach for more mouthwash. It becomes a cycle.
So if you are having issues with dry mouth and bad breath, do not ignore it. Start with over-the-counter treatmen ts, but be sure to read the label and avoid mouthwash with alcohol.
If the over-the-counter treatments don’t work, talk to your dentist about keeping your mouth healthy and smelling fresh.