Halitosis - Nobody likes bad breath

Rock House Dental Practice provides Fresh Breath Treatment to treat Halitosis. A very common problem, 1 in 4 people are thought to suffer to some degree with this condition. Halitosis is chronic and lingering bad breath, not just morning breath, or bad breath after eating certain foods. Although, it can be an embarrassing problem, often, it has a very simple solution.

What causes Halitosis

A lot of varying conditions cause lingering bad breath. Some of the causes are not dental in origin but are in fact due to gastrointestinal problems. Most of the causes are however due to having poor dental hygiene. Gum disease is one of the most common causes of bad breath.

Sulpher-producing bugs and bacteria collect in the mouth and produce unpleasant smelling gasses. Food that is left to accumulate is broken down by these bacteria also resulting in the release of these nasty smells. Your tongue is one of the most common areas for these bacteria to live, hence it is really important to give your tongue a good clean when you brush your teeth.

Smoking can also cause a lingering smell as well as allowing bacteria to accumulate resulting in bad breath. Smoking causes starvation of oxygen in the mouth, just the type of environment that these bacteria like to live in.. We ask all patients to stop smoking as it is the cause of so many dental problems.

Some patients have a very dry mouth due to a lack of saliva flow around their mouths. This leads to fewer bacteria being washed away and again results in an increased rate of halitosis.

Also, certain medication or medical conditions can lead to patients suffering from bad breath. Some of the new low carb diets can also cause bad breath, so it a problem that we are seeing more often.

Help yourself

Making sure you look after your teeth and gums prevents the buildup of unwanted bugs and bacteria, so good oral hygiene is the key. Regularly change your toothbrush as older brushes will not clean properly. Brushing your tongue daily will help as this is a favourite place for the bacteria to live.

Make sure you drink plenty of water to keep the food debris and bacteria flushing around your mouth. Chewing sugar-free gum during the day or mouthwashes may help in the short term as this promotes saliva flow in your mouth.

If you wear dentures take them out at night as they are another favourite place for bacteria to hide.

Avoid smelly foods and drinks and avoid all tobacco products.

Most importantly, see your dentist regularly!

Halitosis treatments

There is no one treatment for halitosis. The treatment will vary dependant on what the root cause is.

Firstly, our hygienist will demonstrate techniques to ensure you are properly cleaning your teeth. Secondly, we will investigate and treat the causes of your bad breath. You may require referral to a medical practitioner to treat underlying causes. We will ensure your mouth is free of harmful bacteria and on occasion may prescribe medication to improve your saliva flow.