Tag: halitosis

Most people don’t realize they have bad breath until someone else points it out to them. Rather than trying to mask it with breath mints and chewing gum, dental professional Dr. Gibbs of Smile Glen Ellyn points out that fixing the problem at its root is the better approach. Here are five possible causes of your bad breath.

Bad Technique for Brushing or Flossing

When you floss, make sure to move the string slightly into the gum line, and get right up against each tooth’s surface. When brushing, hold your brush horizontally, and use short strokes back and forth to do the job.

Wisdom Teeth

Your wisdom teeth and gum overgrowth on them can cause food particles to become trapped, which can lead to infection and bad breath.

Mouth Infections

If you have an infection in your mouth, the decaying bacteria from it can release odors like sulfur, and wreak havoc with your breath.

Tongue

Unfortunately, your tongue is not exempt from accumulating bacteria like your teeth do. A tongue scraper, which can be purchased at any drugstore, will help eliminate this source of bad breath.

Medicine

Some drugs, such as antihistamines and high blood pressure medications, cause dry mouth. When that happens, there’s not enough saliva in the mouth to flush out dead cells, food acids, and bacteria.

If you’ve noticed a sudden negative change in your breath, we strongly recommend giving Dr. Gibbs a call schedule your next cleaning and examination. Don’t let bad breath affect your confidence!

There is one dental concern that affects far more patients than anyone would realize. In fact, it affects so many patients because they often don’t realize the severity of their condition! People think halitosis is no big deal, but it can often be a sign of something much greater!

Halitosis? What’s that? Halitosis is the scientific name for bad breath, and while many people want to blame their bad breath on their previous meal, it can often be a sign that there is something seriously wrong in your mouth.

You might not think that you can get help for your bad breath in the dental office, but that’s exactly the case. We can take a look at YOUR situation and give you the care YOU need to get back to your social life without any concern about your breath.

Don’t Avoid the Problem

The worst thing you can do when you suffer from regular halitosis is to avoid the problem. It’s easy to downplay the poor breath and feeling of embarrassment as something that everyone experiences. It’s just a part of life, after all, but the vast majority of halitosis patients are dealing with something else entirely. Below are two common ways patients avoid the problem.

Ignoring It: Some patients just act like their bad breath doesn’t exist at all. They go through their daily life and knock people over with their bad breath, but they don’t acknowledge the problem.
Masking It: Another way patients avoid the problem is by masking the problem. Chewing gum all day, every day to cover the scent of your breath is just another way of avoiding the problem.

What IS the Problem?

So the question becomes: what is the problem? What causes breath to smell so bad it can take out an entire car of people? Isn’t it normal? Let’s take a look at some of those common bad breath causes, and you can decide for yourself!

Little Problems
There are some small problems that lead to serious bad breath. For example, bad breath can be caused when you eat things like garlic and tuna, but it can also be caused by not drinking enough water, dieting, and poor oral hygiene. These are considered small problems that you can correct fairly easily!

Health Concerns
Bad breath is also linked with health conditions that cause your breath to be less-than-stellar. Having frequent sinus problems can lead to bad breath as can diabetes, liver diseases, lung infections, and gastric diseases.

#1 Cause: Dental Problems
Each of the things mentioned above could explain your frequent bad breath, but the number one cause of halitosis in American adults is something related to your dental health. It could be extensive cavities, plaque buildup, old dentures, failed fillings, infected teeth, etc.

Each of these dental problems has one thing in common: bacteria. Bad breath occurs when you give bacteria a playground, like a decaying tooth. The bacteria builds and builds, producing the rotten smell associated with bad breath, and you are left feeling incredibly uncomfortable around everyone, including your friends and family.

Treating Halitosis

Luckily, treating halitosis is usually a straightforward response that comes with some great results. Let’s take a quick look at the top recommendations for improving your halitosis!

Treating Dental Problems
If you are dealing with halitosis on a day-to-day basis, you need to come into the office for a dental appointment very soon. We need to treat whatever is causing your halitosis! Whether it means having a cavity filled, replacing your dentures, or removing a decaying tooth, we can take care of the problem, restore your smile, and give you back the ability to have fresh breath!

Better Dental Care
A second thing for you to consider is how to improve your oral health care. You can begin by scheduling an appointment for a professional dental cleaning and maintaining those cleanings every six months.

We will discuss your daily routine with you at that time. We might recommend that you brush and floss more often, use a tongue scraper, and begin using a great mouth rinse that will neutralize the halitosis without causing damage to your mouth’s environment!

Begin with a Consultation

Changing your life completely begins with one appointment right here in our office. Contact us today by phone or through the website. We would love to hear from you!

We know what it’s like to suffer from halitosis, but we can help you find solutions that will transform your smile (and your breath!) for the better. Get in touch with us today!