By and large, most of us do everything that we can to keep our mouth as healthy and fresh as possible. There is a widespread understanding of the value of healthy teeth and gums. Good oral care should also solidify a continual state of freshness on the breath, too, right? Not exactly. Halitosis, or chronic bad breath, is a problem that affects quite a lot of us. Discovering how to manage this problem can be quite the challenge, too.
Causes and Fixes
To know how to fix bad breath, it helps to know what is causing the problem. Here, we offer a few common culprits.
- Hygiene needs a boost. Oral hygiene is old-hat. We’ve done it for so long we could do it in our sleep. The problem is, many of us do. Brushing is something that requires attention – and time; two full minutes to be precise. Brushing is also a lead-in for flossing. Without this step, there will be bacteria and debris between teeth, and that means odor. Finally, before swishing that minty mouthwash, it is valuable to scrape bacteria off the back of the tongue. You may be surprised just how much accumulates there.
- Teeth or gums need some attention. We don’t mean cleaning; we mean TLC to resolve an infectious issue. Sometimes bad breath may be caused by an untreated cavity or other infection in a tooth. Gum inflammation and infection, as well, is a prevalent cause of bad breath and may need to be treated with a professional deep cleaning.
- Dentures need refining. Denture care can be challenging. Cleanliness is crucial to odor-prevention and may need to involve careful brushing instead of just soaking. Dentures also need adjustments from time to time to keep them fitted to the gums, so bacteria do not gather in hidden places, causing bad breath.
Schedule a Consultation
There is nothing good about bad breath. To get help managing this concern, schedule a visit to our Sherwood office or call (503) 925-9595. It may take very little to get you back on track, and back to feeling confident with your smile.
