How Do I Get Rid of Bad Breath?
Everyone has experienced bad breath at different times in their lives. It could become a dental concern if you have a strong odor on your breath after brushing, and mouthwash does not help.
Your dental team will smell your breath from your mouth as well as the breath from your nose and then rate the odor on a predetermined scale. The back of your tongue is quite often the source of the smell, so your dentist might scrape it and then rate the odor.
There are sophisticated, advanced odor detectors that can identify the chemicals causing your bad breath, but they are not used very often.
Treatment for your Bad Breath
To reduce your bad breath, focus first on your good oral hygiene to avoid any cavities and to lower your risk of gum disease. Additional treatment for your bad breath can vary, depending on the primary cause. If your bad breath is the result of an underlying health condition, your dentist could refer you to your primary care provider.
If the cause is related to your oral health, your dental team will collaborate with you to help you control that condition. Dental measures may include:
At Home Treatments
- Mouth rinses and toothpastes- If your bad breath is caused by a buildup of plaque on your teeth, your dentist will recommend a mouth rinse that kills bacteria. They could also recommend a toothpaste that contains an antibacterial agent to remove the excessive bacteria causing the plaque buildup.
- Treatment of a dental disease- If you are suffering from gum disease, you may be referred to a periodontist. Gum disease will cause your gums to pull away from the teeth, creating pockets that fill with odor-causing bacteria. A professional teeth cleaning will remove these bacteria. You may also need any failing tooth restorations replaced.
To reduce or prevent bad breath:
- Brush your teeth- Brush with a fluoride-containing toothpaste twice a day, especially after meals. Toothpaste with antibacterial properties will help reduce bad breath.
- Floss at least once a day- Proper flossing removes food particles and plaque from between your teeth, which also helps control bad breath.
- Brush your tongue- Your tongue also harbors bacteria, so brushing it can reduce odor. You could have a coated tongue from a substantial number of bacteria, from smoking or dry mouth, and might benefit from using a tongue scraper.
- Clean dentures or dental appliances- If you have a dental bridge or a denture, clean it thoroughly every day. If you have a retainer or mouth guard, clean it before you put it in your mouth.
- Avoid dry mouth- Keep your mouth moist, avoid tobacco and drink plenty of water, and not coffee, or soft drinks, or alcohol, which will lead to a drier mouth. Chew sugarless gum to stimulate more saliva. For chronic dry mouth, your dentist might prescribe a medication to stimul
