April
2010
A Breath of Fresh Air
Everybody experiences bad breath, known as halitosis, at some time or another. The question is how long will it last? If you suffer from chronic bad breath, there is probably a more serious issue at hand that you should know about. Just washing it away with a commercial breath freshener will not solve the problem, and may even make it worse. The root cause of bad breath is the collection of bacteria in the mouth. Different illnesses such as infections and gastrointestinal problems can provide an environment for these bacteria to grow, but unless the source of the bacteria is addressed and dealt with, bad breath will remain. The teeth and gums are naturally covered with plaque that allows microbes to grow if proper dental hygiene is not followed. It is these microbes that will cause proteins to become rancid, thus producing the sulfur smelling gasses known as VSC. Removing these microbes is the best way to address bad breath, so finding them is the first step. Periodontal pockets found in gum disease is the perfect home for these microbes, as they can hide from your tooth brush and multiply like crazy. Alcohol based mouth wash will prevent plaque, but it will also dry the mouth out and stop the bodies natural defense to the microbes. These can actually make the problem worse. Tonsillitis, nasal infections, diabetes, and even anorexia can all increase bacteria, and allow microbes to multiply, bringing with them bad breath. Because of this, managing halitosis is best done by finding the source of these bacteria, and removing the microbes first. Consulting with a dentist in Frisco will help you come up with a unique plan to address your specific halitosis condition in order to put an end to bad breath once and for all.
