Santa Cruz, Scotts Valley CA
There’s a reason people joke about not eating a meal that’s heavy with onions or garlic on a first date. After you digest foods such as these, or even strong beverages like coffee, they enter your bloodstream and are expelled from the lungs, causing bad breath. But that is usually temporary. Chronic bad breath, on the other hand, can be a source of frustration and embarrassment. What’s the underlying reason for your bad breath? Today our family dentist in Santa Cruz is exploring some of the most common causes and fixes.
Poor oral hygiene
Sometimes the root cause of someone’s bad breath, also called halitosis, is simply poor oral hygiene. We all carry normal, beneficial bacteria in our mouths. But when food particles remain between teeth, bad bacteria quickly multiply as the food particles rot, and this releases a foul-smelling odor from the mouth. Eventually, if not addressed with oral health practices, these bacteria turn into a colorless, sticky film called plaque. Pockets of plaque can then form between your teeth and gums, leading to gum disease or gingivitis and then the more advanced and serious periodontitis. Gum disease is another common cause of bad breath.
How to address it — Brushing and flossing dislodges and sweeps away bacteria-attracting food particles from the mouth. The tongue is also known to trap harmful bacteria. This can be addressed by using a tongue scraper as part of your daily oral health care regimen. If you have dentures, braces or oral appliances, be sure to regularly clean them so they don’t harbor food particles and bacteria. Finally, contact our Scotts Valley family dentist to schedule a cleaning. We can also talk with you about the best at-home oral hygiene practices to keep your teeth, mouth and gums healthy and clean.
Dry mouth
Saliva is the body’s way of cleaning the mouth and teeth. It washes away food particles, bacteria and plaque and neutralizes acids in the mouth. A person may have dry mouth from certain medications or from smoking or using other tobacco products. Dry mouth can also naturally happen during sleep, which is why people wake up with “morning breath.”
How to address it — Be sure to stay hydrated. Water and other beverages that don’t contain sugar or alcohol help keep you hydrated and also work with saliva to wash food particles and bacteria from your mouth.
Tobacco
Smoking and other tobacco products cause unpleasant breath and can also lead to dry mouth and gum disease.
How to address it — Make a lifestyle change. Using tobacco is widely known to carry severe health risks, including mouth cancer.
Mouth infections
Oral surgeries, including tooth extractions, can cause bad breath. So can tooth decay and mouth sores.
How to address it — In the case of tooth extractions or other dental surgeries, halitosis should be temporary until the site of the surgical incision or extraction has healed. If you notice extended discomfort or a foul-smelling odor after the wound should have healed, or if you believe your breath could be because of tooth decay, don’t delay in contacting our Santa Cruz family dentist office.
Medications
Some medicines cause dry mouth, and others release chemicals that are carried on your breath.
How to address it — Stay hydrated to work against dry mouth, and talk to your primary care physician about your concerns.
BAD BREATH TREATMENT IN SCOTTS VALLEY, SANTA CRUZ AND LOS GATOS, CALIFORNIA
If you’re suffering with chronic bad breath and you believe it’s a dental issue, you don’t need to feel frustrated or embarrassed a day longer. Call us at Ebrahimian Integrative Dentistry, (831) 824-5111, or reach us online to schedule an appointment today.
