The last thing you want to have when going to a business meeting, out on a date or even home with your family is to have bad breath. Sometimes it can be that onion in your meal or the garlic bread you ate, but other times it can be another issue all together and longer term than just one meal.
Bad Breath Causes
Let’s look at the causes of perpetual bad breath and then we will also explain the ways we can help you treat it in the future.
- Bad Oral Hygiene: can cause calculus and tartar build up on your teeth
- Dry Mouth/Low Saliva: without saliva it allows decay to flourish in your mouth as saliva is the mouths way of “washing”
- Acidic Diet: eating foods with high acidity can cause heartburn and as a result bad breath
- Visits to Dentist: missing your every six months dental cleanings can lead to a back up of tartar on your teeth
- Sugar Intake: bacteria thrives off of sugar so the more you have in your daily diet the more chances you have to increase
- Older Dental Work: dental work that has been completed years ago may be chipped and infected
Bad Breath Remedies
Each of these remedies aligns with the problem up above. If you have more than one above be sure to read each one.
- Brush your teeth and floss daily. An electric toothbrush is a great option because they have timers so you know when it has actually been two minutes. Also consider a tongue scraper to better remove bacteria.
- Drink plenty or fluids during the day, specifically water. Also make sure your toothpaste has calcium and fluoride in it. If it continues to be a problem, our dentists can provide you with a prescription.
- The first recommendation will always be to limit your acidic food intake. In addition, keep antacids on hand for when you need them. If problem persists, contact your physician for a stronger medicine to take daily.
- Visit your dentist regularly! Not only do we deep clean your teeth at each dental cleaning, we remove tartar and also check for any periodontal disease.
- Limit your sugar intake. Specifically, we recommend you limit drinking soda. Also consider sugar-free candy for your sweet tooth!
- We will always check your dental work when you are in for a visit, but if you feel like something is wrong we can always check separately. Dental work from your childhood may need to be redone.
Questions? Contact Us.
If you are experiencing any of these issues, please call our office for a consultation. Or use this as a reminder to schedule your next dental cleaning!