Do You Have Bad Breath? We Can Fix That!

No one wants to be in a position where they are that person. You know, the person who has potent bad breath, and you shuffle back while they talk to you, but they keep moving closer with their dragon breath? Yeah, that person.

In many cases, bad breath can be resolved with some quality time spent brushing your teeth, but sometimes, more is going on. Our dentists here at Riverside Dental Care are often asked how to beat bad breath permanently, as some individuals find that things like brushing their teeth or using mouthwash only temporarily work.

For these people, halitosis is usually at the root of their problems, which means they need more than your run-of-the-mill oral hygiene.

What Causes Bad Breath To Be Considered Halitosis

When you have chronic bad breath that can only be suppressed but not eliminated, that’s what separates temporary bad breath from halitosis. For those individuals who struggle with halitosis, simply brushing their teeth and chewing on mints isn’t enough to banish the dragon breath.

Ongoing halitosis can point to more serious underlying conditions that can require dental or medical intervention. Some of the most likely triggers for halitosis are:

Infections in the nose, mouth, or throat – A common aspect of an infection in the nose, mouth, or throat is mucus production. As your body produces mucus, bacteria will feed on it and can lead to bad breath for as long as the infection triggers mucosal production.

Dry mouth – Your saliva does a lot of work, from breaking down food particles to keeping the bacteria in your mouth in check. So, when you struggle with dry mouth, halitosis can be the result of bacteria build-up, and food particles remain lodged in crevasses in your mouth.

Tooth decay – As tooth decay is caused by bacteria breaking down the enamel of your teeth—and bacteria is a common cause of halitosis—it makes sense that tooth decay leads to ongoing bad breath.

Chronic health issues – There are several chronic health issues that can cause bad breath, from kidney disease, diabetes, gastric reflux, and more. However, if you are struggling with these issues, you likely will have more signs and symptoms than halitosis.

Gum disease – When gum disease develops, there are often several signs, ranging from bleeding gums to halitosis. For the early stages of gum disease, strict oral hygiene can correct the issue, but for more firmly rooted gum disease, you will need the help of our dentists to stop the problem.

Tobacco use and smoking – Using tobacco products and smoking can cause not only staining on your teeth and gums, but it can also lead to halitosis.

To correct these underlying conditions, you will generally need help from at least dentists, and potentially your doctor, depending on your needs.

Is There A Way To Stop Bad Breath

Before you decide that your bad breath is halitosis and you need medical intervention, there are some bad breath solutions you should try incorporating into your routine.

• Drink more water – A simple fix for dry mouth is to drink more water. By increasing your water intake, you can encourage your mouth to produce more saliva on its own and keep the bacteria population under control.
• Brush daily and floss – Taking care of your daily flossing and twice-daily teeth brushing can go a long way to keeping bad breath at bay. Doing these two simple tasks can help ensure bacteria build-up and plaque are regularly removed, and food particles are cleaned away.
• Clean dentures nightly – Those who wear dentures should also be taking them out nightly and cleaning them before putting their dentures in a cleaning solution. This process will allow their mouthes their needed rest from pressure from the dentures and help eliminate trapped bacteria.
• Rinse with mouthwash – Using mouthwash—especially anti-bacterial mouthwash—can do a lot to help keep your breath fresh, on top of your regular oral hygiene routine.
• Stop smoking – While quitting the use of nicotine products can be very tough if you want to banish bad breath—and improve your overall health—it is essential that you quit smoking and cease using any tobacco or nicotine products.
• Come in for dental cleanings – Last, but certainly not least, you can fight bad breath by coming in for your twice-a-year dental cleanings here at Riverside Dental Care. At these appointments, our dental hygienists can remove built-up dental plaque and calcium, which helps remove pockets for bacteria to hide in. Also, with regular cleanings, our dentists can stay on top of any dental issues you may develop.

Address Dental Issues To Fix Ongoing Halitosis

Dental issues such as tooth decay, periodontitis, abscesses, and other issues do not resolve on their own and will continue to contribute to halitosis. So, to take care of your bad breath, it is time to get those issues addressed with our dentists.

If you are ready to get on top of your bad breath, we are ready to help! Contact us today and set up your appointment toward a happier, healthier mouth!