Bad Breath Treatment
Bad breath. It comes in many different forms, all of which stem from its source. The trick to preventing bad breath is knowing its causes. At Plymouth General Dentistry, Dr. Joan Kirschner can teach you how to prevent bad breath, and perform restorative dentistry treatments to address any dental problems that may be causing chronic bad breath. To undergo bad breath treatment at our Plymouth, NH practice, contact us today.
Types and Causes of Bad Breath
Bad breath can be characterized in a number of ways, including:
- Morning breath: Morning breath is caused by a lack of saliva production when you sleep. Even if you brush and floss thoroughly before bed, and maintain healthy teeth and gums, you may still experience morning breath. To treat morning breath, drink water and brush your teeth upon waking.
- Garlic or coffee breath: Garlic and coffee breath describes bad breath that is caused by the foods we eat. Foods and drinks such as coffee can leave a powerful aroma behind. Pungent foods such as garlic and onions release sulfurs, which cause bad breath, as the foods are being digested.
- Smoker’s breath: Smoker’s breath results from smoking or chewing tobacco products. Smoker’s breath can affect patients in a couple of ways. First, the smell of the products can linger on the breath. Second, the use of tobacco products can increase plaque and tartar within the mouth, increasing the risk of tooth decay and gum disease, both of which contribute to chronic bad breath.
- General bad breath: General bad breath is caused when a patient’s teeth and gums are healthy, but the patient has recently failed to thoroughly brush and floss. A good at-home cleaning of the teeth can prevent this type of bad breath.
- Chronic bad breath: Chronic bad breath is typically the result of dental problems such as cavities, root canal infection, or gum disease. It can also be caused by chronic dry mouth and the use of certain medications. Dr. Kirschner can treat dental problems to eliminate your bad breath.
Treatments for Bad Breath
The primary defense against bad breath is a good at-home oral hygiene routine. Be sure to brush your teeth twice a day, reaching along the gum line and the back molars. Floss once a day to remove plaque from between the teeth and below the gum line. For extra protection against bad breath, use an antibacterial mouthwash once a day.
Throughout the day, be sure to drink water and rinse your mouth with water regularly. This can remove food remnants and neutralize odors caused by the foods and drinks we have consumed.
If you have developed a cavity, root canal infection, or gum disease that is causing bad breath, we can eliminate the odor-causing bacteria and decay, and restore the tooth with a tooth-colored filling, inlay, onlay, or crown. In the case of gum disease, we can perform root planing and scaling to treat the infection and improve the health of the gums.
To schedule your dental exam, contact our practice today.
