You introduce yourself to a potential new client, but you notice that he pulls away when you speak.
You feel like you are giving a good pitch, but nothing seems to be landing. Are you doing something wrong?
Later, you are introducing yourself to a female customer. You see an odd look on her face as you speak. At the first break in the conversation, she makes an excuse to leave.
You start to wonder, is it your breath?
No one likes to think that they have bad breath, and many times you may not notice it because you’ve become accustomed to what your breath smells like.
Mints, breath sprays, and those strips that melt on your tongue are only a temporary fix. If you have chronic bad breath, you should contact Dental Implants and Periodontology of Arizona. We have been treating patients in and around Phoenix for 30 years at our dentist office, and we can help you, too.
Bad Breath Affects Relationships
If you have chronic bad breath, or halitosis, it affects almost everyone you encounter throughout the day.
The barista at the coffee shop, the receptionist at your office, and your co-workers have probably noticed already. Unfortunately, many people think it’s rude to mention that to someone, so they may have tried to avoid your bad breath by avoiding you.
When you have meetings, do people seem to seek the seats furthest away from you? When you offer to stop by to see a client, do they prefer phone calls?
Bad breath also could be a strike against you if you have been seeking a promotion or you are hoping to be assigned one of your company’s bigger clients.
If you are in a committed relationship, your spouse or significant other may be comfortable telling you if your breath smells bad.
But if you are single, your breath can certainly affect someone else’s interest in seeing you again. As we mentioned earlier, a mint is only going to mask your breath temporarily.
But don’t be discouraged, bad breath treatments are available.
What Causes Bad Breath?
Bad breath starts with the bacteria that live inside your mouth. They are trying to grow every day, and their waste product is a sulphur compound.
If you have too many of these bacteria, then the sulphur compound can become particularly noticeable.
Those bacteria are the primary cause of two other problems that also affect the smell of your breath — tooth decay and gum disease.
When you have tooth decay, this is a place where bacteria can hide from your toothbrush. As a result, it can make your bad breath more noticeable.
With advanced gum disease, you may have pockets forming inside your gums. These are another place for the bacteria to hide, and again, this can contribute to your halitosis.
In some cases, your bad breath may be a symptom of a medical condition, such as acid reflux, diabetes, liver disease, or a respiratory tract infection.
Finding A Long-Term Solution
Once you are aware that you have chronic bad breath, it can be embarrassing.
You may have thought you were brushing correctly. In fact, you may not been reaching the places where bacteria hide, or you may not be brushing long enough.
This is why dentists encourage their patients to brush for two minutes each time they brush and to brush at least twice every day. And you should remember to brush your tongue, too.
This is another reason flossing is essential to maintaining your oral health. It also keeps your breath under control.
If you come to Dental Implants and Periodontology of Arizona, we will start by evaluating the amount of sulphur compounds in your mouth. This can be a good clue about the source of your halitosis.
If you have gum disease, we can use perioscopy therapy as part of your bad breath treatment. Perioscopy uses miniature video cameras that give us a live and up-close look inside your mouth, including under your gumline.
When we know where the infection is, we can target it and remove it from your mouth.
If gum disease is not the cause of your problem, then we have other treatment options. You may just need to learn how to properly brush, including your tongue, or you may need a prescription-strength mouthwash to remove the bacteria in your mouth.
No Reason To Be Embarrassed
If you have been living with bad breath, you should not feel ashamed to call our dentist office in Phoenix. We have been helping patients with similar problems for decades, and we can help you, too.
You can make an appointment at Dental Implants and Periodontology of Arizona by calling 602-842-6841 or filling out our online form.
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