Stinky Breath And What To Do With It. (2 of 2)

Treating Bad Breath (halitosis)

Lets discuss first the major causes:

1. Poor oral hygiene- increase bacteria load

2. Dry mouth- saliva is our first line of defense against bacteria;therefore, whenever your mouth is dry that means your saliva flow is low and you will immediately experience an increase in bacteria. 

3. Post nasal drip - this is more difficult situation to deal with and may require a visit to the ENT if severe, but when the mucus from your sinuses and nose drips into your mouth that also increases the level of bacteria and a smell. 

4. Diabetes - there is something called the Diabetic ketoacidosis that causes your breath to smell like ketone (nail polish) when a patient's diabetes is uncontrolled. Diabetics also tend to have decreased immune systems and that causes dental issues and increases bacteria. 

5. Coffee and alcohol- both of these can cause dry mouth and just the natural smell of the liquid can cause the smell. Alcohol can also be metabolized like sugars by bacteria and that can also cause a stench. 





6. Gum diseases and cavities- These diseases are again caused by the imbalance and the excess existence of these bacteria. 


7. Smoking- again Dry mouth and smoking is just nasty we will talk about smoking in depth in another. 

Okay I know I keep postponing the solution but here it is!

1st Oral Hygiene!!

You can have all the of the above factors but if you are consistent with your cleanings at the dentist and on top of your own oral hygiene you should still be able to control your halitosis. 

Always Brush and floss twice a day and don't forget to brush your tongue! Ever seen that white stuff on your tongue before? Tongue scrapers exist for a reason. Bacteria and fungus tends to stick onto your tongue due to the natural shape of your tongue. 

Mouth rinses without alcohol can help but it is usually only a quick fix, but we usually will combine it with brushing and flossing to prevent overgrowth of unnecessary bacteria. 

Bacteria in the form of plaque and calculus will still form in your mouth even with proper hygiene but just at a much much slower rate, but that is why we recommend six month recalls to allow for a professional cleaning of your mouth. There are areas that you simply can not get to. Most dentist prefer getting their teeth cleaned every four months. 

Second come for an exam-

 If you have persistent gum disease or untreated cavities these will as well cause bad breath due to the increase bacterial load. Good thing is most of these issues are treatable. I always tell my patients if you see an infection with pus on your hand that doesn't go away would you leave it alone? The only difference between that and your teeth is that you can't see your teeth! Our bodies are interconnected by millions of blood vessels so bacteria can travel to any portion of the body. Our team will give you a step by step plan to treat your disease! More often than not you just require a simple cleaning. 

Last thing is keep hydrated! 

Without adequate saliva and water in your mouth bacteria is allowed to proliferate. This is why you get morning breath and why it's more likely to get cavities when you are sleeping. This proliferation will cause bad breath because the bacteria is not kept in check by your own saliva. This is why we recommend brushing right before bed and brushing as you wake up. People are told to drink about 1-2 liters of water a day. I mean you are like 60 percent water so keep yourself alive and also avoid bad breath! 

Don't hesitate to schedule your cleaning and consult today.