Hi, Dr. Matheson here from Matheson Dentistry. I'm here today to answer a few questions about bad breath.
What is bad breath? How is it defined?
Bad breath, otherwise known as halitosis, is when your breath is a little bit stinky. It can be caused by several things that we'll explore in this video. Let's get right into it.
What are the most common causes of bad breath?
Some of the most common causes of bad breath are a lack of removing the plaque that forms in your mouth. Plaque can form along your teeth, and it's a combination of the food you eat, the bacteria in your mouth, and your saliva. It accumulates around your teeth and a lot on your tongue. It's important to use a tongue scraper.
What is halitosis and how is it different from occasional bad breath?
All of us have bad breath when we wake up in the morning or after eating habanero salsa. Halitosis is when you pretty much have bad breath all the time.
Can cavities or tooth decay cause bad breath?
One of the causes of halitosis or chronic bad breath is when you have cavities on your teeth. A cavity is when bacteria infiltrate your tooth, causing a hole. There's no way to clean that out, and the bacteria overpopulate, which can be a bit stinky.
Can wisdom teeth contribute to bad breath?
Oftentimes, when you don't have enough room in your mouth for wisdom teeth and they're starting to come in, bacteria can harbor around your wisdom teeth, which can be a big problem for halitosis.
Is it normal to have bad breath after a tooth extraction?
After having your teeth extracted, it's normal to have a little bad breath for a couple of days. You've got some stuff going on in there, some healing, and sometimes that doesn't smell very good. If that continues after you're doing everything you should be, brushing your teeth normally, you should probably see your dentist.
What are some signs that bad breath might be chronic rather than occasional?
Some signs that bad breath is chronic rather than occasional include doing things that eliminate bad breath, like brushing and flossing, brushing your tongue, and still having bad breath afterward. That would be a sign that something else might be going on, and you probably need to visit your dentist.
What dental treatments are available for bad breath?
Depending upon the cause of the bad breath, there are dental treatments available. If the bad breath comes from cavities, we can fix those. We're well-equipped here at the dental office to do that. Another cause could be periodontitis, an infection of the gums and bone around your teeth. This is one of the big causes of stinky breath. If you're having problems with stinky breath, or if your spouse mentions it, there's a good chance you may have periodontitis. That would definitely be a reason to come into the dentist so we can address it.
What kind of mouthwash or toothpaste do you recommend for treating bad breath?
Using any over-the-counter toothbrushes and toothpastes will help with bad breath. Flossing your teeth will definitely help. A lot of the smelly, stinky plaque accumulates between our teeth. No matter how much we brush, flossing is what removes that plaque. Another important thing is brushing or scraping your tongue. After you brush your teeth, make sure you brush your tongue for a while. A lot of plaque gets on our tongue, so we need to brush that off. A tongue scraper is also a nice tool to have. It removes plaque from our tongue, which, under a microscope, is very rough and irregular, with lots of tiny hills and valleys where plaque can accumulate. By using a tongue scraper, you can remove that plaque and have much fresher breath.
What are some home remedies that might help reduce bad breath?
Besides visiting the dentist to ensure you don't have cavities or gum disease, brushing, flossing, and using mouth rinse can be helpful. Products like Scope and Listerine can also help with bad breath. Using non-sugary mints is important. Ensure the mints are sugar-free because you don't want sugar to create more cavities, leading to more problems. Using a sugar-free mint can help as well.
How can someone tell if they have bad breath?
An easy way to tell if you have bad breath is to ask a trusted friend. It's like having a friend who would tell you if your zipper's down or if there's toilet paper hanging out of your pants.
Is it possible to get rid of bad breath permanently?
It's really not possible to get rid of bad breath permanently. As mentioned, bad breath can occur from time to time. You wake up in the morning, and your breath is a little stinky. However, normal brushing and flossing with fluoridated toothpaste should take care of it. When normal brushing, flossing, and maybe even mouth rinse don't freshen your breath, it's time to see the dentist to check for cavities, gum disease, or periodontal disease causing worse bad breath.
I hope we've answered some of your questions about bad breath. If you or someone you know has a bit of stinky breath, please come into Matheson Dentistry. We'd love to talk to you about it and ensure there aren't any underlying causes for the bad breath you're experiencing. Thanks,