Fresh Breath

If you find yourself constantly worrying about halitosis, or bad breath, it is time to conquer that fear. The right way to eliminate bad breath is to make an appointment with Dr. Moore, who uses state-of-the-art equipment to alleviate this problem.

Halitosis is caused by the build-up of Volatile Sulfur Compounds, which arise from the breakdown of bacteria, tissue and food particles. Dry mouth also can be a contributing factor to this condition. The mouth and tongue are where 80 percent of bad breath odor originates.

Over-the-counter breath mints, chewing gum, mouthwashes and toothpastes mask your bad breath for a short time.

Determining The Cause of Bad Breath

Bad breath can be caused by a variety of oral problems, and can be a symptom of a serious disease. Diagnosing the origin of halitosis is essential for successful treatment. Some questions we may ask include:

1. When is the last time you visited the dentist?
2. What are your oral hygiene habits?
3. Do you use an over-the-counter mouth rinse regularly?
4. When you sleep, do you breath through your mouth?
5. Are you taking any medication? Many medications can cause dryness. Some also have a distinct odor of their own which enters the breath via the lungs.
6. Are you on a special diet? Dieting can make you prone to halitosis.
7. Do you drink alcohol?
8. Do you smoke?
9. If you are a denture wearer, how often and by what method do you clean your dentures?
10. How long have you noticed the problem?
11. Has your bad breath been confirmed by others?

After completing a history, we will perform an intra-oral examination and measure the level of volatile sulfur compounds.

Treatment

Since most bad breath is caused by oral factors, eliminating these factors is the first step in the treatment approach. The following steps are recommended:

1. Improve oral hygiene techniques.
2. Control gum disease (periodontal disease).
3. Perform all necessary dental care by restoring areas of decay, closing open contacts between teeth, extracting unrestorable teeth and correcting other defects, such as over- contoured fillings and crowns that are impossible to clean.
4. Increase salivary flow by eating smaller meals more frequently, drinking water with a little lemon in it, chewing sugarless gum, and sucking a sugarless citrus or mint candy.
5. Patients who wear dentures or partials need special home care instructions. Since food debris easily gets caught around clasps and on denture teeth, it is important to rinse appliances after every meal. Clean appliances daily and soak them in a disinfecting solution in the evening.