Bad Breath Management In Wickford

If you have persistently bad breath, it can affect your life in many areas.

Bad breath is something that we all probably suffer from, from time to time. Some foods, such as the well known garlic, can certainly affect your breath and cause a few strange looks when you talk to people. Other foods that can do this include spicy foods, dairy, coffee and some seafoods. Those of you who drink regularly or who smoke will certainly not have the freshest of breath either. In the latter case, these habits may also be the cause of potentially serious oral health issues.

Most cases of bad breath through eating will go quite quickly, so unless you regularly dine on anchovies and garlic, you can largely avoid the long term effects of this. If however, you have persistently bad breath that isn’t controlled by what you eat, it is definitely worth booking an appointment at our Wickford dentist to check if it is caused by gum disease. This is one of the most common causes of bad breath/halitosis and needs to be treated as soon as possible.

Why does gum disease smell?

Gum disease occurs when the number of potentially harmful bacteria in our mouth become out of control. This is usually well managed when you brush your teeth well, have a tooth and gum friendly diet and also use dental floss. Often though, this isn’t the case and other habits, especially smoking and regular alcohol consumption, can soon cause this to become a problem. As the bacteria multiply, they attack the soft tissue of the gums and, in turn, release gases as they do so. To put it bluntly, anyone with this problem basically has a mouthful of bacterial flatulence! .. not a pleasant thought at all and is an indicator of how foul smelling halitosis can be to those around you.

Your social life

One of the problems with bad breath is that you may not notice it yourself. Breathing into your hand and smelling it doesn’t work as the smell quickly disperses. Some say licking the back of your hand and smelling that works but the best  and most reliable way is to ask a trusted friend who would be honest with you. If you are unaware of it, you may find that people gradually move away as you talk to them and it could also seriously affect your job opportunities if you have bad breath at an interview. If you are currently looking to date, you are likely to find that you get less second dates than you hoped for. All in all then, although you may not be able to detect it yourself, it can have a significant impact on your life.

What not to do

If you become aware that your breath smells, don’t ignore it. It is all too easy to try to mask the smell using mints etc but this only serves to mask a growing problem as well. Mint flavoured sugar free gum may be beneficial in the short term as it can help to remove food debris and bacteria, but it is very unlikely to resolve the underlying issue. For that, you will need to see the hygienist at the Cygnet Dental Practice for treatment.

Treating gum disease

When you see the hygienist, they will address the immediate problem with a ‘scale and polish’ procedure. This involves the manual removal of built up hardened bacteria and minerals, also known as tartar or calculus,  using a special hooked implement. This is followed by a sonic clean which shatters the remaining tartar, and finally you will receive a professional brushing to remove any remaining bacteria. Your mouth will feel, and probably look, fresher after this and your bad breath should be greatly improved. The whole thing is painless and local anaesthetics are rarely needed for this treatment.

Having this done as a one off won’t necessarily prevent it from coming back and the hygienist will discuss your oral health with you and may make recommendations on things such as diet and smoking habits. They may also recommend specific toothpastes and mouthwash, depending on your situation.

To maintain a healthy mouth and fresh smelling breath, we recommend appointments with your local dental hygienist every six months. This is a great way to avoid gum disease and to have much more pleasant smelling breath.

Periodontitis

Gum disease is progressive and will worsen if not addressed early enough. When it reaches a stage known as periodontitis, it can start to affect the roots of the tooth and the surrounding bone. When this happens, teeth can become loose and may fall out. Periodontitis requires intervention by a suitably qualified dentist in the form of a ‘deep clean’. This is an invasive treatment that may save your teeth. It isn’t guaranteed though and avoiding it reaching this stage is a much better option and yet another reason for regular hygienist appointments.

Even if you don’t currently have smelly breath, seeing the dental hygienist is a great way to maintain a healthy mouth so why not book your appointment today. You can arrange yours by calling the Cygnet Dental Practice on 01268 733078.