Treatment of halitosis depends on the underlying cause and you can get help from your doctor, your dentist, or your local chemist. Most of the time, your dentist can cure your bad breath issues and can determine if your mouth is healthy and your halitosis is not of oral origin. Your dentist can then refer you to a doctor or a specialist to find out the cause of halitosis and how it can be treated.
Your dentist will examine your medical history, ask about your diet, lifestyle and habits, and will make a thorough dental examination that will include your teeth, gums, salivary glands, oral tissues, and nerves. If systemic issues might be the likely cause, you will be referred to a physician that will run diagnostic tests if there is any suspicion of diabetes, lung infection, liver, or kidney disease. Special laboratory tests might be done (X-rays of the chest or sinuses, urine tests, blood tests, etc.) depending on the suspected illness.
The following are some tips on how to prepare for your appointment with your dentist:
- Make your dental appointment in the morning because it is the best time for testing bad breath. Making an appointment later in the day might hinder the exam due to the foods that you have eaten during the day.
- Avoid eating, drinking, or smoking for at least three hours before your dental appointment.
- Avoid wearing perfume, lotions, or other scented products because they might mask any odors in your mouth.
- Talk to your dentist if your appointment needs to be rescheduled if you have taken antibiotics or any other medications within the last month.
Some of the questions you can expect your dentist will ask during your evaluation are:
- When did you become aware of your bad breath?
- Did other people notice or tell you about it?
- Are you having occasional or continuous bad breath?
- What are your suspicions that might be causing your bad breath?
- Do you have any health issues?
- Are you taking any supplements or medications?
- Do you have sinus problems or allergies?
- How often do you brush your teeth or floss?
- Do you regularly clean your dentures (if you have one)?
- What are the kinds of food you eat?
- Do you snore?
- Are you breathing through your mouth?
The diagnosis and tests will likely include your dentist smelling both the breath from your mouth and nose and rate these odors using a scale. And since the back of the tongue is the most common source of bad breath, your dentist might scrape it and rate the odor from it too. There are other more sophisticated types of equipment for detecting and identifying the chemicals from the odors that might be causing bad breath, but these detectors are not always available in most dental clinics.
On the other hand, practicing good oral hygiene can help reduce and prevent bad breath and lower the risk of cavities and gum disease. Other dental measures that your dentist will suggest may include:
1. Good dental hygiene
Regularly brush your teeth at least 2 minutes with fluoride-containing toothpaste at least two times a day. Make sure you cover all areas especially where the tooth meets the gum, with a back and forth direction inside and outside of all teeth.
The toothbrush should have soft. tufted bristles and make sure to replace your toothbrush every 3-4 months.
Cleaning your tongue is also required and there are various tongue scrapers and brushes available to do it gently and effectively. Doing this removes the bacteria coating your tongue that produces bad breath or tooth decay and gum problems.
Clean between your teeth by using dental floss or interdental brushes. This helps remove any trapped food particles and can reach areas where brushing cannot.
You can also use anti-bacterial mouthwash like mouth rinses that contain cetylpyridinium chloride and chlorhexidine can prevent bad breath.
Taking care of your gums is also important and you can do this by massaging your gums with toothbrush bristles.
Dentists may also recommend oral irrigation to clean the teeth and gums. These oral irrigators utilize a pressurized and directed stream of water to remove bacteria and plaque.
Dentures should be thoroughly cleaned and removed at night to give your mouth a chance to rest. You can clean your dentures thoroughly with lukewarm soap and water, denture cream, or denture-cleaning tablet; do not use toothpaste because it can cause stains and can scratch the surface of the dentures.
2. Foods and drinks
Put a limit to the number of sugary foods and drinks that you consume because they are the factors that help the bacteria produce acid that results in tooth decay and tooth erosion.
Keep a log of the foods you eat and find out which one causes bad breath and bring it to your dentist during your check-up. Do the same too for any of the medications you might happen to be taking at the present.
Eat a healthy, balanced diet, and stick to regular meals.
Avoid strongly flavored foods like garlic and onions and spices
Cut back, if you cannot avoid, alcohol because alcohol can cause dry mouth and too much beer, wine, or alcohol can make your breath unpleasant up to 8-10 hours after drinking.
The smell of too much coffee can be hard t get off the back of your tongue so switch to green or herbal tea instead.
Chewing on sugarless gum 20 minutes after a meal can help with saliva flow. Go with 100% xylitol-sweetened gums that help reduce cavities and gives you a nice breath too.
3. Visit your dentist regularly
Regular check-ups with your dentist every 6 months at least can help you prevent any dental problems in the future.
4. Quit smoking and stop using any tobacco products
5. Keep hydrated by drinking lots of water to keep your mouth moist. Water can help in cleaning up the harmful bacteria between your teeth and in your mouth to avoid having offensive breath smell.
Prevention:
- Practice good dental hygiene like brushing, flossing, and scraping your tongue regularly
- Stay away from foods that sour your breath
- Quit smoking
- Use anti-bacterial mouthwashes to rinse your mouth to provide extra protection against bacteria.
- Keep your gums healthy.
- Chew gums instead of after-dinner mints.
- Keep your mouth from getting dry.
- See your dentist if, despite your best efforts, the bad breath lingers. It may be a sign of other health issues.
Summary:
Bad breath, or medically known as Halitosis, is primarily caused by bacteria in the mouth that release sulfur compounds from the back of the tongue and throat causing a foul odor. Treatment for halitosis will depend on certain underlying causes such as dry mouth, dental infections, smoking, poor oral hygiene, bad lifestyle habits, medications, or any health issues.
Even if there is no special field in dentistry that deals solely with halitosis, your family dentist will surely be able to attend to your issues about bad breath and proper oral care. If your dentist sees that you have a healthy mouth, he or she will refer you to a doctor or a specialist to determine the underlying reasons why you are having bad breath.
Just the same, the best way to cure bad breath is through good dental hygiene, regular check-ups with the dentist, a healthy diet, and a change in lifestyle and habits.