Cosmetic Dentistry - Halitosis

Phoenix, Scottsdale and Payson, AZ.

Halitosis (bad breath) affects over 80 million people in the United States alone. Most people are unaware that they suffer from halitosis. Some simple, effective cures for halitosis do exist.

Causes of Bad Breath

Bad breath is usually caused by the waste from bacteria in your mouth, decayed pieces of food left on the teeth, other miscellaneous debris that has not been rinsed out, and poor daily oral hygiene. The debris and decay produce a chemical that creates an unpleasant odor.

Bad breath can also occur when people have a medical condition such as liver or kidney problems, diabetes, or a medical infection. Other contributing causes may be:

• Dieting
• Smoking
• Stress
• Snoring
• Age
• Hormonal changes

What is Morning Breath?

The principal way mouth odor is controlled is through saliva, which continuously washes away food particles and bacteria. During sleep there is less saliva production, which allows bacteria to increase their numbers. They deposit acidic excretions on the teeth and gums which give off the “morning breath” odor.

You can banish morning breath by brushing your teeth and eating breakfast. However, morning breath is also related to hunger, dieting and fasting. If you brush your teeth but eat no breakfast it may recur.

Odorous Food and Drink

Garlic is famous for affecting your sweet breath, and onions are much the same. Spicy foods and some drinks, such as coffee, also leave an odor behind which can be noticed for as long as three days afterwards. Some diets, in particular those which avoid carbohydrates, also tend to create bad breath.

Controlling or Eliminating Bad Breath

Visit your dentist regularly because checkups will help detect any systemic causes. Checkups also help to get rid of the plaque and bacteria built up on your teeth that might be contributing to halitosis.

The most important thing you can do to avoid bad breath is to practice good daily dental hygiene. You must brush and floss at least twice each day. This removes bacteria, plaque and food particles which cause bad breath. Bacteria accumulate on the tongue as well as on the gums and teeth, since there are many tiny grooves in the tongue to accommodate them. Therefore brush your tongue or use a tongue scraper, which is a plastic device to scrape bacteria off the tongue.

• Drink plenty of water.
• If you wear a denture, a retainer or a mouthguard, remove and clean them thoroughly every day.
• If you would like to use a mouth rinse, please consult us first. Some of these products do little to eliminate bad breath. We can suggest some that are proven to be effective.

Many times chronic bad breath can be a sign of underlying conditions or problems that may need to be treated. Feel free to give us a call to discuss any concerns that you may have. Or you can send our cosmetic dentistry office an email and we will be happy to provide a no-charge consultation.