How Do I Get Rid of Bad Breath?
Have you recently noticed you have bad breath that just won’t go away? You brush your teeth extra, drink more water, and use mouth wash and still can’t shake the smell. It may be time to schedule an appointment with your dentist and have a diagnostic exam. Below is more information about how to diagnosis and treat chronic bad breath.
Diagnosis
If it is time to schedule a dental appointment to have your bad breath evaluated, there are a couple things you should keep in mind:
- Morning appointments: Your dentist will prefer you schedule a morning appointment to evaluate your breath and to reduce the chances that food or drinks consumed during the day will make the diagnostic exam more challenging.
- Avoid scented products: It is important to not wear anything that can cover the smell of your breath. Avoid wearing perfume, scented lotion, and chapstick or lipgloss that is scented.
- No antibiotics: You may not know it, but antibiotics can impact the smell of your breath. If you have taken antibiotics in the last month, see if you can push your appointment to a later date.
Once you get to your appointment you should expect your dentist to smell both the breath from your mouth and from your nose. This may be embarrassing, but this step is very important to determining what is causing your condition. Your dentist may also try scraping the back of your tongue and evaluating the odor.
Treatment Options
Once your dentist has identified and evaluated your breath, they will likely have a couple treatment options in mind. If your dentist suspects the cause of your chronic bad breath is due to an underlying health condition, they will refer you to your primary care doctor. It is important you follow up on this referral and see your doctor as soon as possible. If your dentist determines your bad breath is linked to your oral health, they will start treating it immediately. Some common treatments for bad breath include:
Treatment of gum disease: Often bad breath is linked to cavities or gum disease. When gum disease advances, the gums pull away from the teeth and odor-causing bacteria develops in the pocket between the teeth and gums. A professional cleaning will help remove these bacteria. If it has been a while since your last cleaning, your dentist may recommend a deep clean.
Mouth wash & toothpaste: If you have a plaque (bacteria) buildup on your teeth and can’t get an immediate cleaning scheduled, or if the buildup is advanced, your dentist may recommend toothpaste or mouthwash that contains antibacterial agents to kill the bacteria.
Steps to Take to Avoid Bad Breath
To avoid visiting your dentist on a regular basis to treat bad breath, there are some preventive steps you can take at home. Brushing teeth after meals, flossing daily, and brushing your tongue are all hygiene practices that help reduce bacteria buildup and control bad breath. Additionally, increasing water consumption and changing your diet to avoid high sugar foods can also help to reduce bad breath.
More on Bad Breath : What Causes Bad Breath?