Do you rely on mints, chewing gum or breath spray to get you through the day? Bad breath shouldn’t be something you keep trying to cover up. To truly alleviate your condition, you need to get to its source.

When bad breath occurs on a frequent basis, despite what you’ve recently eaten, you may need halitosis treatment from your dentist. Halitosis (or bad breath) is treated by addressing the root cause. In some cases, bad breath is a warning sign that something more serious is going on inside your mouth or body.

Causes of Bad Breath

Dry Mouth - A dry mouth is a very common culprit for bad breath. We all need saliva to keep our mouths moistened as well as wash away food debris and bacteria. Without enough spit, there can be an abundance of bacteria that resides on the teeth and tongue. As the bacteria breaks down, a sulfur compound is produced, which emits a foul odor. Dry mouth can be caused by a variety of factors, ranging from poor oral hygiene to certain prescription drugs.

Poor Oral Hygiene - When food debris doesn’t get removed from your teeth, the smelly cycle of bacteria breakdown continues. It is also quite common for patients to suffer from halitosis if they neglect to brush their tongue. Your tongue can harbor millions of bacteria at a time!

Crash Diets and Fasting – If you decide to skip meals as a desperate attempt to lose weight, your breath may backfire. Fasting and crash dieting often signals the body to break down fats at a more rapid pace, which in turn releases ketones. The presence of ketones often gives the breath a bad “fruity” odor.

Gum Disease – Occasionally, bad breath is a warning sign of gum disease. It is not uncommon for an infection to produce an unpleasant odor; your gums are no different. If your gums are puffy, receding or bleeding easily, let your dentist evaluate you for gum disease. Early treatment can save your smile and eliminate your bad breath!

Treating Bad Breath 

At Bencaz Family Dentistry, we can determine the cause of your embarrassing bad breath. Depending on what we find, your treatment may include one or more of the following:

• Professional Teeth Cleaning
• More Diligent Oral Hygiene
• Increasing Water Intake
• Adjusting Diet
• Gum Disease Therapy
• Dry Mouth Treatment

Don’t be too embarrassed to discuss your bad breath with us. Your dentist is the best person to talk to if you want to regain a more confident mouth. Call Bencaz Family Dentistry today!