Thursday, March 18, 2010

Is Your Breath Stank?

Bad breath, its not just a medical condition, it can be a social issue as well. Consider this a PSA from a dentist who cares. There are many causes of bad breath, some rather mild, some more serious. How do you know what the cause is?

The object of this post is to briefly outline some dental issues that could be at the root of the problem.

You are what you eat! If you're eating onion and garlic, brushing may not be enough afterwards! What you eat is digested, and then absorbed into the bloodstream and then released in the lungs where it is then expelled. Brushing, flossing and mouth wash only camoflauge the stank, they can't remove it!

Mama wasn't kidding when she said brush your teeth! Do you know that particles of food remain in the mouth after you are done eating? If you're not brushing and flossing regularly, these particles are just sitting there rotting. You guessed it, they give off mouth odor. This problem can be corrected by brushing and flossing! This will not only improve mouth odor, but will help prevent tooth decay and gum disease. Trust us, gum disease is a bad one.

Would you kiss an ash tray? Smoking causes bad breath. Duh.

Cotton Mouth, not just a snake! One of the leading causes of halitosis is dry mouth. Saliva rinses away bacteria and debris, so when there's no saliva, all of those germies stick around. Some reasons for dry mouth include salivary gland issues, use of certain medications and mouth breathing.

Briefly, there are some medical conditions such as diabetes, gastrointestinal disturbance, liver and kidney ailments, respitory infections, sinusitis and post nasal drip that can cause bad breath. If your dentist determines that your mouth is healthy, you may need to contact your physician.

Brushing and flossing: definitely the keys to a beautiful smelling mouth. Mouthwash is a temporary fix, and offers no long term benefits. Remember to brush your tongue and the roof of your mouth as they are a good place for bacteria to gather. The healthier your mouth, the fresher your breath!