Everyone has moments of bad breath. After eating a particularly potent meal, you might struggle to speak with people for the rest of the day! Instances like this are rare for most of us, but what if they weren’t? What if you lived with bad breath (also known as halitosis) every single day?
You can imagine the impact constant halitosis would have on your relationships and confidence level. You would feel self-conscious every time you opened your mouth. Your family, friends, and coworkers might shy away whenever you begin to speak.
The good news is that you no longer have to live this way! Here at Dental Implants and Periodontology of Arizona, we have solutions for bad breath!
Bad breath is most often a result of sulfur compounds produced by the bacteria that live in your mouth. In fact, your mouth is home to millions upon millions of bacteria that eat and produce waste throughout each and every day. We all have the same types of bacteria producing the same types of sulfur compounds as waste.
Halitosis (bad breath) occurs when that bacteria (and waste) gets out of hand. We see this in areas that are hard to reach or often forgotten, like your tongue and gums. Bacteria finds those places to hide and goes to town on the food particles left in your mouth. The result? An increase in sulfur compounds that make your breath stink!
When you come into the office for treatment of your bad breath, the first thing we will do is find the source and go from there. In most cases, we find that patients are living with bad breath because they are living with gum disease or because they don’t practice good tongue-cleaning methods. We can find out for sure by testing your mouth for sulfur compounds.
Your tongue can be a hotbed of bacteria growth. Your tongue is textured, which offers lots of nooks and crannies for bacteria. On top of that, your tongue touches just about every piece of food you put in your mouth. That food, especially foods high in protein, will create a layer of film on the top of your tongue that offers nonstop food for the bacteria living there!
In order to help you beat bad breath, we will help you learn to clean your tongue properly. We also can offer a prescription rinse that will help control the bacteria and sulfur compounds in your mouth. Finally, you may want to consider adjusting your diet to avoid foods known to increase sulfur compounds in your mouth.
Another common cause for bad breath is having an infection in your mouth. Sometimes bad breath is the first sign that you are living with gingivitis (gum disease). When you come in for your first appointment, we will do a thorough exam to determine the cause of your bad breath. If we find a gum disease infection, we will work to remove that infection using our state-of-the-art gum disease treatment solutions.
Don’t let something like bad breath keep you from enjoying your life! Come see us soon to find solutions for halitosis! Just call us at 602-842-6841 or contact us using our convenient online form. We can’t wait to help you have fresher breath very soon!
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