Smelling Bad Breath Behind Your Mask? Here’s Why  

Let’s face it – the pandemic in 2020 was a lot of things, including insightful. There was one major lesson that many people learned while having to wear a mask everywhere – that they had bad breath. The mask was a relentless tutor in this lesson.

It’s nothing to be embarrassed by and certainly nothing to be alarmed about. More people than you realize deal with bad breath and, unfortunately, many of them aren’t aware of it. Even if you brush your teeth regularly, you may still deal with that stench of bad breath behind your mask. Here’s why.

Two Main Reasons for Bad Breath

At Toothbar, two of the main reasons that we often see for bad breath, known as halitosis, in our dental patients is poor oral hygiene or some type of underlying medical condition that causes bad breath. In most cases, it’s poor oral hygiene. This can include:

• Not brushing your teeth regularly.
• Not flossing regularly.
• Eating a poor diet that is high in sugars.
• Eating certain foods.
• Smoking
• Inadequate exposure to flouride.
• Not seeing a dentist for regular oral checkups.

Underlying medical conditions that could be a culprit are:

• Diabetes
• Obesity
• Dry mouth
• Allergies
• Infections
• Acid Reflux or GERD
• Problems with the kidneys or liver

Many people felt that the mask was causing the bad breath and the term mask breath became common. However, the mask didn’t cause halitosis, it only highlighted the problem.

The first step to getting rid of mask breath is to face the fact that you may not be doing all you can to keep a clean, healthy mouth. Revisit your oral hygiene practices and work on improving them. In the meantime, especially if you have underlying medical conditions, you should seek out Austin preventative dentistry or possibly even Austin cosmetic dentistry.

The good news is that Austin preventative dentistry is just a click or a phone call away. The professional toothologists at Toothbar can help you get rid of that awful mask breath. If you’re in search of Austin cosmetic dentistry, Toothbar has that covered also.

Toothbar isn’t like your typical dentist – you’ll enjoy a spa experience complete with a local ambiance that will put your mind at ease. Whether it’s mask breath or some other oral need, at Toothbar you’ll get dental service you won’t forget.