What is Bad Breath Halitosis?

Bad breath can be a problem that is hard to hide when you are around other people. You are not alone, though, because about 50 million other people in this country have a problem with it. While you might need to constantly be popping breath mints to cover it, there is a more permanent solution that will give you fresh breath. Most of the time, the problem is caused by gum disease.

You can tell you have gum disease when you see bleeding gums and red or inflamed gums. It is caused by the bacteria that are in your mouth. When it eats sugar or carbs, it turns it into an acid. This is what causes cavities and gum disease. As the bacteria gets into your gums, the acid triggers an immune reaction. At the same time, the bacteria will also produce some sulfur compounds that make the bad breath.

When the bacteria multiply, it is often because of a lack of the proper care of your teeth. In the early stage of gum disease, called gingivitis, you can usually get rid of it by brushing twice a day and flossing.

If you have additional symptoms, it reveals that your gum disease has progressed to become periodontitis. You might see receding gums, spaces developing between your teeth, pus at the gum line, pockets developing on your gums, and your teeth could be becoming loose. Eventually, they will even fall out.

In periodontitis, the bacteria gets below the gum line and it cannot be removed with a toothbrush and floss. A periodontist will need to remove it for you, along with the hardened plaque on your teeth (tartar). Once it has been removed, your bad breath, also called halitosis, will be gone.

A periodontist can use several methods to give you bad breath treatment. They include:

• Teeth cleaning – Due to a lack of proper care of your teeth, you likely will need to have the tartar removed. The dentist will remove the tartar, which the bacteria hides and multiples in, and clean your teeth.
• Medication – The dentist may prescribe some oral antibiotics to help remove the bacteria. In more severe situations, some medications may be placed into the pockets to kill the bacteria.
• Scaling – Scaling is a process that cleans the bacteria out of the pockets on your gums. The dentist pulls back the gum pockets a little and then manually removes the plaque and tartar from your teeth. Scaling may also be done with an ultrasonic tool to remove tartar.
• Root planing – This process manually removes rough spots on your teeth that enable the bacteria to hide. The process also helps your gums to reattach to your teeth.
• Lasers – A dental laser can also be used to eliminate bacteria in the gums. The beam is directed into the pockets by thin fiber optics.
• Additional procedures – If you have advanced periodontitis, other procedures will be necessary to stop it. The periodontist may use surgical methods to help remove the disease and to restore your appearance. It may involve gum flap surgery, gum grafting, and possibly bone grafting. Scaling and root planing may also be conducted to remove bacteria prior to surgery. Dental implants may also be installed with crowns.

Another appointment will need to be made about six weeks later for the periodontist to check on the progress of the healing. It will also reveal whether the removal of the periodontal bacteria that is causing the halitosis was successful.

After scaling and root planing, you may experience some pain and discomfort. The process will usually involve some numbing medication. After it wears off, you may need some over-the-counter medication. It will usually disappear in a few days.

Some of your teeth may also be sensitive to hot or cold, and possibly to sweets. This should also disappear after a few days, but it may take up to six weeks. You can apply some desensitizing toothpaste twice a day to help.

If you have dry mouth, you will need to start drinking more water. Your saliva helps to remove the bacteria and acid from your teeth, and the minerals in it help to resupply more to your enamel.

Taking regular care of your teeth with brushing and flossing is absolutely necessary to eliminate bad breath symptoms. In addition, you will need to stop smoking, eat healthy, and avoid foods that are likely to cause bad breath (garlic, onions, etc.).

Once the bad breath remedies have been applied, you can enjoy the following benefits:

• Removes periodontitis
• Provides a bad breath cure
• Restores your gum health
• Rebuilds your mouth and teeth for a better appearance.

The various periodontal treatments will do the job of removing the harmful bacteria, but its longevity depends on your keeping the daily plaque (bacteria) off of your teeth and gums. This requires brushing twice daily, brushing your tongue, and using a mouthwash.

Chronic bad breath does not have to continue to be a problem. You can get a free evaluation for gum disease by going to see Kumar T. Vadivel, DDS, FDS RCS, MS. To get your free consultation, just click on the number on this screen, or you can book an appointment online.