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Saying Goodbye To Bad Breath In Burton & Ashby

2018 January 15
by admin

Don’t suffer in silence (or make others suffer!)

Although other causes of halitosis exist, such as gastrointestinal problems; for the majority of sufferers, bad breath originates in the oral cavity. It is an issue that, whilst on its own is not medically serious, may indicate the existence of other problems and can certainly cause others to avoid standing too close to you when you speak.

The fact is that much bad breath is simply caused by poor oral hygiene, and, in today’s blog, we take a look at some causes, solutions and simple steps that you can take to reduce it.

Avoiding garlic and other foodstuffs

Although it is true that eating garlic, drinking coffee and some other food and drinks, can make your breath smell, halitosis is in a different category altogether. Short term bad breath can be masked with mouth fresheners etc and will soon go away as the effects dissipate. Halitosis, on the other hand, is often a deeply offensive smell that is also persistent.

Mouthwash

Some patients may use a mouthwash to help to mask the smell of halitosis. Whilst this will do no harm, it does not address the cause of the problem. It is far better to treat the real underlying issue than to try to hide it, especially as the most likely cause has other serious consequences too.

Gum disease

The most likely cause of halitosis, the persistent and nasty smelling form of bad breath, is gum disease. As the bacteria that attack the gums multiply, they emit sulphurous gases as they eat away at the gums. It is predominantly this which causes halitosis.

The good news is, that, providing this is determined to be the cause of your bad breath, it can be eliminated permanently, with better oral health care. Whilst early stage gum disease can sometimes be reversed simply through better home cleaning; where bad breath is ever present, it is likely that it has gone past this stage and professional treatment will be needed.

Your first step to have better smelling breath is to make an appointment to see the dentist at Alexandra Dental Care to establish the extent of the problem. If it is very advanced, a form known as periodontitis, you may need to have a treatment known as root planing, where the teeth are cleaned right down to the roots. This is an invasive procedure which is performed using a local anaesthetic.

Providing that it has not reached this stage though, you may be referred to our dental hygienist who will be able to remove the hardened bacteria from your teeth and gum line using a non invasive cleaning treatment known as a scale and polish. They will also discuss with you, ways in which you can clean your teeth and gums more efficiently, hopefully preventing any recurrence.

If you live in Burton or Ashby, and suffer from bad breath, please call Alexandra Dental Care on 01283 216347 and take the first step to saying goodbye to your halitosis.

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