FRESH BREATH CLINICS

Bad Breath (Halitosis)

If you're concerned about bad breath, consider scheduling an appointment with your dental professional. Armed with your complete medical and dental history along with an oral examination, your dentist should be able to identify the cause.
Millions of bacteria thrive in the warm, moist conditions of the mouth, particularly on the back of the tongue. In many people, they are the primary causes of bad breath.

Some types of bad breath are considered to be fairly normal and of not of any health concern. Good examples are "Morning mouth." and Traveler’s breath. Morning mouth occurs because of changes in your mouth while you sleep. During the day, saliva washes away decaying food and odors. The body makes less saliva at night. Your mouth becomes dry, and dead cells stick to your tongue and to the inside of your cheeks. When bacteria survive on these cells for food, they produce a foul odor. During traveling Bad breath happens due to slowing down of production of saliva, by the salivary glands which allows bacteria to grow inside the mouth and bad breath to develop. Many travelers alter their food intake while at the airport and on the plane, and then will ignore their oral care hygiene routine. Many people increase their fast food and soda intake while traveling," and this leaves food particles in the mouth that produce a sulfur compound and cause bad breath."

In addition, bad breath can be caused by the following:

• Poor dental hygiene — Infrequent or improper brushing and flossing, allows bits of food that are stuck between the teeth to decay inside the mouth. Poor oral hygiene eventually will lead to periodontal (gum) disease, which also can cause bad breath.
• Infections in the mouth — These can be caused by either a cavity in a tooth or by periodontal (gum) disease.
• Respiratory tract infections — Throat, sinus or lung infections.
• External source — Garlic, onions, coffee, cigarette smoking, chewing tobacco. Smoking and drinking coffee, tea and/or Alcohol will contribute to your teeth becoming discolored.
• Dry mouth ( xerostomia ) — This can be caused by salivary gland problems, medicines or "mouth breathing." A large number of prescriptions and over the counter medicines cause dry mouth.
• Illnesses — Diabetes, liver disease, kidney disease, lung disease, sinus disease, reflux disease and others.
• Other — though not noticed by others some people believe that they have bad breath and this can be called "Pseudo halitosis."
• Severe Dieting.

Treatments

The treatment of bad breath depends on its cause. The key to a clean, fresh mouth is following a good oral hygiene routine at home on a regular basis and professional recommendations discussed with you by your dental professional.. It is important to implement a strict oral hygiene routine at home twice daily utilizing tooth brushing with a fluoride antibacterial toothpaste and flossing to remove food debris and plaque on teeth, bridgework and implants, and brushing the tongue to remove odor-causing bacteria. A study reported that tongue and tooth brushing in combination with dental flossing significantly decreased bleeding of the gum tissue as well as reduced bad breath.

Prevention

Bad breath caused by dental problems can be prevented easily with proper oral hygiene and professional care .Some simple measures we suggest …

• Brush your teeth, tongue and gums after every meal and floss daily. This is the most important factor if your bad breath is caused by dental problems Keep your tongue clean. Gently brush it with a toothbrush after you brush your teeth or use a tongue scraper.
• The Drier Your Mouth, The Worse Your Breath Gets. A dry mouth is the ideal home for bacterial growth and as such keeping it moist will reduce the growth of bacteria. Occasionally swish your mouth with water to loosen bits of food - Drink plenty of Water!
• Watch Out for the foods that can make your breath worse.
• Chewing gum can help eliminate food particles caught between teeth after a meal and also helps prevent plaque buildup by stimulating saliva production.. But keep in mind that chewing large amounts of sugar-free gum and/or mints that contain sorbitol may cause side effects like diarrhea and bloating.
• Keep Calm - Stress makes your breath worse!
• Your breath gets worse when you have a cold, allergies, or post-nasal drip, so Blow Your Nose More Often!
• Since many prescription medications can make your mouth extremely dry take them with plenty of water.
• Quit Smoking.
• And finally, The Best Way to Eliminate and prevent Bad Breath is to schedule regular checkups @ Smiline Dental Hospital.