Do I have bad breath?

Millions of people suffer from bad breath but are unaware that they have a problem. Halitosis is unpleasant and embarrassing. People are more likely to keep a distance or turn a cheek when you kiss them than tell you that you have bad breath.

Try this….

Lick the inside of your wrist and sniff – if the smell is bad you can be pretty sure that your breath is too.

Bad breath is often an indication of gum disease or tooth decay.

Causes of Bad Breath

Persistent bad breath is usually caused by the smelly gasses released by bacteria that coat teeth, gums and tongue. This can be worse in the mornings when the mouth is often dry because less saliva is produced during sleep. Dentures, orthodontic appliances and faulty crowns and fillings can trap more of these bacteria and make the problem worse.

Bits of food that become trapped between the teeth and on the tongue will decay and can cause an unpleasant smell. This is much worse with very odourous foods such as garlic, coffee and onions.

Smoking causes its own form of bad breath due to deposits of tar and nicotine on the tongue, cheeks and teeth. This is made worse by the drying effect of smoking.

A very tiny proportion of bad breath is caused by other medical conditions; diseases or medication that results in dry mouth, nose, throat or lung infections, diabetes or kidney disease.

Elimination & Prevention

• Identify and treat the cause. Visit a dental hygienist.
• Avoid odiferous foods such as onions, garlic, spices and durian.
• Avoid habits that may worsen the halitosis such as tobacco and alcohol consumption.
• Eat a good breakfast including fresh fruit, an enzyme in pineapple (papain) for example helps clean the mouth.
• Brush teeth after meals
• Use floss and interdental cleaning regularly and keep up checks with the hygienist.
• Mouthwashes Cosmetic mouthwashes mask the odour for an average of only ten minutes, many brands contain alcohol which although effective in killing bacteria, have a drying effect on the mouth.
• Oral rinses that are formulated to eliminate bad-breath compounds contain chlorine dioxide that will actually destroy the odourous sulphur compounds, they have been shown to be effective for 5 hours after use. We recommend rinsing in the morning and evening and more frequently if you have eaten odour-causing foods.
• Brush or scrape your tongue before bed.
• Keep your mouth as moist as possible by using sugar-free chewing gum.
• If you have dentures, leave them out at night.