Tips To Control Bad Breath

Bad breath is unpleasant odors in the air you exhale.  It is normal for this to occur occasionally from the intake from certain odiferous foods, such as onions or garlic or “morning breath” caused by mouth changes while you sleep. The majority of long lasting bad breath, also known as Halitosis usually starts in your mouth. Your dentist is the first place to go to rule out dental problems.

If you brush your teeth, use breath mints and gargle with mouthwashes, but your bad breath comes right back you need professional help.

The underlying cause of your Halitosis needs to be found before treatment can begin.  The most common causes are: poor dental hygiene, infections in the mouth, Dry Mouth Syndrome (xerostomia), external causes (foods, smoking, etc) and medical disorders (infections of the respiratory tract or illness in other parts of the body).

You need to see a dentist. He or she will check your medical history and current medications for possible causation. Review your diet, personal habits and symptoms. Your dentist will examine the teeth, gums, mouth and salivary glands. Check swollen glands and swellings of the head and neck. Evaluate your breath when you exhale from your mouth and nose.

One of the warning signs of periodontal (gum) disease is persistent bad breath or bad taste in the mouth.

Regular visits to your dentist allow for the detection of the problems from gum disease, tooth decay and infections, denture concerns and dry mouth.

No matter what the cause of your bad breath good oral hygiene is a part of the cure.

Brush at least twice a day, clean food particles between teeth with floss or interproximal brushes, brush your tongue, take your dentures out at night and clean thoroughly before  reinserting them.

If the dental examination determines the mouth is healthy and the cause is not of oral origin a referral would be made to your family physician for further diagnosis and treatment.  Infections of the nose, throat or lungs can be a cause.  Other contributors can be systemic disease, such as diabetes, Sjogren’s syndrome, kidney failure or lung or liver disease. Laboratory tests would be needed for a definitive diagnosis.

However, the most common cause of Halitosis is bacteria in the mouth. Dental treatments for bad breath include treating gum disease, tooth decay and tooth and mouth infections need to be eliminated and good oral health established to fight offensive breath.

A professional periodontal cleaning is needed to remove the plaque and bacteria that have accumulated on and around the teeth and in gum pockets. Dentures need to be adjusted, cleaned and relined or remade to ensure proper fit. Tooth decay and broken fillings need to be removed and the teeth restored. Infected and abscessed teeth need to treated or extracted. More extensive gum treatments, such as traditional or Laser Periodontal surgery (LANAP) are sometimes necessary.

Ask your dentist about the safety and therapeutic effectiveness of over-the-counter anti-Halitosis products. Breath mints and mouthwashes don’t usually produce long-term fresh breath. There are many antiseptic mouth rinses that do more than just mask breath odor; they do kill germs that cause bad breath.

Once the cause of bad breath is discovered, follow your dentist’s and physician’s plan and fresher-smelling breath is the usual outcome.