No one wants to be known as the person with kickin’ breath, but let’s face it: everyone at some point or another will have bad breath. It’s a fact of life. The good news is that you can easily fight bad breath with a few remedies that are tried and true.
Bad breath is the result of anaerobic bacteria producing a sulphuric by product in the mouth as they eat plaque. These bacteria are always present, however, if a person stays on top of brushing and flossing they are never given an opportunity to over grow. Regular brushing and flossing eliminate the biofilm that coats teeth.
Patients that stay on top of their brushing and flossing, but suffer from dry mouth might find their breath to be offensive. Unfortunately dry mouth, with can be the result of drinking alcohol, smoking, and even some medications, can lead to bad breath because a dry mouth is the perfect place for bacteria to breed.
Finally, a variety of foods are obvious causes of bad breath including dairy, onions, and garlic.
While bad breath is a bummer, the good news is there’s lots of things you can do to prevent it. First and most obvious, stick to a strong oral hygiene routine. Brush twice a day, floss once, and get in to see Dr. Toyer for your regular cleanings. Adding baking soda to your hygiene routine a couple of days a week will also help to neutralize acids in your mouth.
If you suffer from bad breath because of dry mouth we recommend you always have water with you to drink and suck on sugar-free hard candies to produce saliva.
Chronic bad breath is usually a sign that there’s something more going on. One of the most common reasons for chronic bad breath is periodontitis. This disease causes pockets to form around gums. These pockets then collect food particles which bacteria feed off of and produce odor causing by products.
There’s a slew of underlying problems that might not be obvious to you and take a trained professional to diagnose that could be causing bad breath. From undiagnosed dry mouth to various diseases, our staff is trained to get to the root of problems and come up with solutions to solve them.
Make it a point to schedule an appointment with us to get in and learn what could be causing your bad breath. While bad breath is embarrassing and frustrating, it’s not something you need to live with. Dr. Toyer brings years of experience in treating patients for chronic bad breath and prides herself on establishing strong relationships with her patients. This allows her to provide the best treatment possible and offer creative solutions that meet the demands of your lifestyle.