Have you ever caught yourself running out to meet a new client or on your way to a hot date and wondered “do I have bad breath”? Of course most of us have had this experience at one time or another but in most of our cases; the bad breath is fleeting. Those of us who are afflicted with true oral malodor, or halitosis as it is more commonly referred to, have known how distressing this problem can be. It can affect both our social interactions and our personal life. Many of us have gone from place to place to have this checked out; and most to no avail. It seems that nothing helps this problem for any length of time; not mouth wash, not gum, and not breath mints. What, if anything can be done?
Before we discuss what can be done for bad breath, we first need to understand the etiology of halitosis. In days past, bad breath was thought to originate in the stomach or intestines. If not there; then we’d check the sinus cavities. In the majority of cases, checking out both these areas produced no evidence of infection or disease which would result in bad breath. Next area of inspection; surprise, surprise, was the oral cavity. The oral cavity is loaded with bacteria which can cause everything from tooth decay to bleeding gums. Although gum disease or gingivitis can contribute to bad breath, a secondary source of the bacteria is often found on the surface of the tongue. This bacteria is the same stuff we all are exposed to, however, depending on our genetic predisposition, the bacteria likes to stay with some of us longer. When this happens, it settles into the cracks and crevices on the tongue where they remained undisturbed until we do something out of the ordinary to get rid of them.
At the Richter Center in Southfield, Mi, we have been treating bad breath successfully for 16 years. We use a simple program that involves removing these bacteria from the surface of the tongue both in office and at home. We also recommend a non-alcohol based mouthrinse in order to kill the bacteria we are unable to scrape off. We then make sure that we eliminate the bad gum disease and any tooth decay. A combination of these two things, plus a stringent home care regime can provide a welcome relief from the scourge of halitosis and give those that suffer with it and new reason to smile.
Before we discuss what can be done for bad breath, we first need to understand the etiology of halitosis. In days past, bad breath was thought to originate in the stomach or intestines. If not there; then we’d check the sinus cavities. In the majority of cases, checking out both these areas produced no evidence of infection or disease which would result in bad breath. Next area of inspection; surprise, surprise, was the oral cavity. The oral cavity is loaded with bacteria which can cause everything from tooth decay to bleeding gums. Although gum disease or gingivitis can contribute to bad breath, a secondary source of the bacteria is often found on the surface of the tongue. This bacteria is the same stuff we all are exposed to, however, depending on our genetic predisposition, the bacteria likes to stay with some of us longer. When this happens, it settles into the cracks and crevices on the tongue where they remained undisturbed until we do something out of the ordinary to get rid of them.
At the Richter Center in Southfield, Mi, we have been treating bad breath successfully for 16 years. We use a simple program that involves removing these bacteria from the surface of the tongue both in office and at home. We also recommend a non-alcohol based mouthrinse in order to kill the bacteria we are unable to scrape off. We then make sure that we eliminate the bad gum disease and any tooth decay. A combination of these two things, plus a stringent home care regime can provide a welcome relief from the scourge of halitosis and give those that suffer with it and new reason to smile.
I loved this article. I do suffer from bad breath and it was good to know that there is hope.
A mom from the bizymoms Southfield community