Bad Breath
If you have ever wondered whether you have bad breath, several subtle signs can indicate that you do. Have you ever noticed how people move away from you when you start talking? When you kiss someone farewell, do they turn their cheek? At some point in our lives, we have all noticed the negative effects of bad breath. Bad breath, also termed halitosis, can be humiliating and make us avoid social situations.
Not regularly brushing and flossing your teeth will make you susceptible to developing gum disease and bad breath. Mainly, bad breath is caused by inadequate oral hygiene, but it can also indicate other health issues such as bacterial overgrowth. At Burnaby Square Dental, we treat halitosis to help restore and improve your oral health.
Causes of Bad Breath?
Halitosis is an oral health problem defined by foul-smelling breath. There are many reasons for bad breath, just as there are a plethora of bacteria sources in the mouth. Finding the source of bad breath is usually the first step in curing this preventable condition.
Certain Food
Foods that cause bad breath include those that leave a film in the mouth and airways or provide a food source for bacteria. Food particles breaking down in and around your teeth can lead to an increase in bacteria and a foul odor. Bad breath can also be triggered by particular foods, such as onions, garlic, and spices. These foods enter your bloodstream after digestion, travel to your lungs, and affect your breath.
Brushing and flossing daily and using a tongue scraper and an antibacterial mouth rinse will help reduce the bacteria that cause bad breath.
Poor Oral Hygiene
Plaque is a sticky, colorless bacteria film that forms on your teeth. If plaque is not removed, it can irritate your gums and gradually form plaque-filled pockets between your teeth and gums (gingivitis). Bacteria that produce odors may also be stuck on your tongue.
If you do not take care of your teeth and gums, you might be setting yourself up for oral issues. Regularly brushing, flossing, using a tongue scraper, and rinsing your mouth with antibacterial mouthwash will help minimize the bacteria that cause bad breath.
Incorrect Cleaning Of Dentures
The dentures themselves mainly cause denture breath. When you do not clean your dentures properly, bacteria builds upon them, and they tend to stink. It is the equivalent to failing to brush your teeth. It stinks if the bacteria are not eliminated. If you do not remove and clean your dentures properly, bacteria can hide in tiny crevices or get stuck under the denture arch.
Tiny surface pores can also be found on acrylic dentures. Your dentures can appear smooth and strong to the naked eye. They do, however, have tiny pores where food debris and bacteria can rest under a microscope. Cleaning and brushing your dentures usually eliminate the debris and bacteria and prevent bad breath.
Gum (periodontal) disease
Both bad breath and an unpleasant taste in the mouth are two of the most common signs of periodontal disease. You should consider adding flossing to your oral hygiene routine if you only brush your teeth without flossing. Brushes are unable to reach small bits of food, which can get stuck in between tight contacts of the teeth and rot. It has an effect not just on your breath but also on your overall health, as these harmful bacteria cause gum disease and can penetrate your bloodstream, putting your health at risk.
Bad breath and the need for restorative dentistry are also caused by periodontal disease. Gum disease is a significant contributor to cardiac disease and heart attacks. Thus, regularly visiting your dentist or hygienist is essential.
Dry mouth (xerostomia)
Dry mouth is a common side effect of halitosis. Your mouth will not be able to clean itself if it cannot produce enough saliva. It is unable to wash away food waste and particles. A disorder that affects the salivary glands directly can cause dry mouth. Dry mouth can be triggered by certain medications or medical conditions or exacerbated by excessive drug and alcohol use, nerve damage, or by often breathing through the mouth rather than the nose.
Tooth decay, gum disease (gingivitis), and mouth infections like thrush are all intensified when you have a dry mouth. That is why saliva is very important because it can help prevent tooth decay by neutralizing the acids formed by bacteria in your mouth. It inhibits bacterial growth and aids in the removal of food particles.
Tobacco products
Cigarettes, cigars, smokeless tobacco, and snuff all stain teeth and place the body at risk for various diseases. They do, however, trigger bad breath. Tobacco products irritate gum tissues, stain teeth, limit the ability to taste foods, and cause bad breath.
Nicotine and smoke from cigarettes will persist in smokers’ mouths and lungs. Tobacco smoke contains chemicals that can stay in the mouth, causing various secondary medical and dental issues, including bad breath.
Other Health Conditions
Some instances of bad breath are caused by tonsillitis, respiratory infections such as sinusitis or bronchitis, and certain gastrointestinal diseases. Bad breath can also be caused by advanced liver or kidney disease, as well as uncontrolled diabetes. In these situations, a person is likely to have severe symptoms aside from bad breath and should therefore seek medical help.
How It Works
Step 1: Evaluation
Determining the principal cause of bad breath is vital in finding any existing oral dental issues you may have and eliminating them. A dentist will go over your medical and dental history and examine your oral cavity. Your breath, scrapings from your tongue, and the dental appliances that you use, such as dental floss or nightguard, will be inspected as well to determine the extent of your halitosis.
Step 2: Dental Cleaning
When plaque deposits stay on your teeth, it usually leads to bad breath. Gradually, it becomes calculus as it hardens at the area between your teeth and gums. Calculus can no longer be removed by simply brushing your teeth and can only be cleaned by specialized equipment during your dental visit. It is done through professional dental cleaning, or referred to as scaling, wherein built-up plaque and calculus are removed. It should be done regularly to your teeth to maintain a healthy and disease-free mouth.
Benefits of Bad Breath Treatment
Improve Oral Hygiene and Health
After a dental examination and the dentist traced the cause of your bad breath to poor oral hygiene or from specific oral issues, they will perform a professional dental cleaning. This cleaning can significantly improve your oral health by removing the bacteria that cause infection in your teeth and gums.
Prevent Gum Disease
Bad breath can be an indication of early infection in your gums before it has even wholly developed. It can help you act and prevent the condition from worsening while still in its early stage.
Keep Your Mouth Healthy
Detecting oral problems such as dental decay, ulcers, and gingivitis before they develop is always vital so that your dentist can halt its damage. Your dentist can restore your teeth and gums’ health and prevent you from feeling pain and discomfort.
Rebuild Your Self-Esteem
Bad breath can be detrimental to our self-confidence. It can make you feel uncomfortable in social settings such as in the workplace and talking to friends. Talking, whispering, or laughing can be stressful when you feel self-conscious about having bad breath. Having a dental treatment can ease all your worries and help you regain your confidence to focus all your energy on more important matters.
Who We Are
To remain on top of the latest dental developments, all of our practitioners uphold the highest accreditation standards and seek continuing education. Burnaby Square Dental was founded to provide family dentistry that is both convenient and affordable. In a painless, comfortable, and supportive atmosphere, our modern dental clinic uses cutting-edge technology to give you the smile of your dreams.
Every patient receives unrivaled skill and artistry from Dr. Kamei and Dr. Sara. Our team of experts brings new skills to address your dental needs. Our mission is to provide you with a comfortable experience and top-quality service that transcends the ordinary.
Why Choose Us
Our top priority is to provide personalized and gentle patient care at a reasonable cost. Here are a few aspects that distinguish our practice:
Commitment, Care, and Safety
From the front desk to the exam room, our practice is staffed by experts dedicated to your oral health. When you step into our office, the first thing you will notice is how safe, comfortable, and sterilized everything is. We can provide top-notch treatment by using state-of-the-art equipment that is engineered with safety and efficiency in mind.
Our team of highly trained family dentists, dental surgeons, orthodontists, and dental hygienists from Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, University of Toronto, University of Manitoba, and University of British Columbia (UBC) in one office means regular case analysis and a one-step referral system, which directly translates to improved patient safety and a lower risk of misdiagnosis.
Honesty and Affordability
We understand how expensive and perplexing healthcare costs can be. At Burnaby Square Dental, we have significantly reduced the overhead of operating several practices by making two doctors share the cost of running one clinic and improved purchasing power for medical supplies. It ensures that high-quality, safe dental treatment is no longer prohibitively expensive.
We provide you with up-front cost details on your treatment in addition to a variety of in-office payment options to meet your budget. We accept an array of insurance policies and provide dental financing in various ways, with credit available on terms that fit your needs. We will gladly help you in navigating your dental benefits and other payment options.
Comfort
We recognize and appreciate the fact that many patients are concerned about their dental health. At Burnaby Square Dental, we go to great lengths to make sure that your visit is as pleasant as possible. We also communicate with our patients to relieve dental anxiety by explaining explicitly what to expect during your treatment. You may listen to your favorite song while having your procedures done and inquire about dental sedation options when necessary.
Final Words
Anyone can experience bad breath, and unfortunately, it can affect your daily social interactions. If you currently have bad breath and want to know what keeps causing it, it may be time to visit your dentist. Having dental checkups regularly lets your dentist spot any dental problems and stop them from developing any further.
<span”>Give us a call at (604) 526-2725 or fill out our form to schedule an appointment with our dentists so we can aid you in getting rid of pesky bad breath. Our skillful team at Burnaby Square Dental can determine the root cause of the problem and recommend treatments accordingly.
Frequently Asked Questions
You can tell if you have bad breath in two ways: by enclosing your mouth and nose with your cupped hands or by licking the inside of your wrist and then smelling it. The common cause of bad breath is a lack of proper oral hygiene.
Improper or inconsistent oral hygiene, such as brushing and flossing daily, can leave your breath smelling extremely foul. Plaque and bacteria can build up in areas that are hard to reach between your teeth and gums and on the tongue. When left untreated for a prolonged period, it can lead to incessant bad breath, or medically known as halitosis.
Many oral and general health conditions can leave you with bad breath. Some of these are postnasal drip, respiratory and tonsil infections, sinus problems, diabetes, liver and kidney issues, and blood disorders. Bad breath, on rare occasions, may be an indication that you have cancer or other alarming conditions.
Although you may brush your teeth, bacteria can still build up when you fail to brush and floss diligently and adequately the hard-to-reach areas between your teeth and gums. Some of those areas are impossible for you to clean by yourself, and you must get a professional cleaning done. This buildup can lead to bad breath and even infect your gum tissue.
Bad breath can usually be treated by diligently following an oral hygiene routine. Although bad breath itself is not a severe health condition, it may be a sign of a medical condition that must be treated before it gets worse.
Bad breath may be linked with chronic reflux of stomach acids or gastroesophageal reflux disease.
Yes, there may be lung, sinuses, or airway infections such as chronic post nasal drip that leads to bad breath. It is due to the nasal secretions that drain to the mouth, causing the unpleasant smell.
Bad breath is often associated with the smell of farts, mainly due to the bacteria in the mouth that emit sulfur compounds. Poor oral hygiene can cause the buildup of a “biofilm” on your gums, tongue, and in between your teeth that releases the unpleasant odor.
Halitosis is primarily caused by inadequate oral hygiene. Not correctly or diligently brushing and flossing your teeth can leave food and bacteria buildup in your mouth. The bacteria, with time, release sulfur compounds that give off an unpleasant odor. Keeping your mouth well-hydrated can lessen the smell, but the best treatment is to brush and floss your teeth together with diligent hydration. We may also have to check your tonsils to make sure it is not tonsillitis that causes odor from your throat.
Poor oral habits can cause bad breath because it leaves food deposits to accumulate in your mouth, welcoming bacteria’s growth in between the teeth, around the gums, and tongue. This bacteria is the cause of bad breath, so antibacterial mouthwash can help reduce the smell.