According to the National Institutes of Health, poor oral hygiene is the most common reason for bad breath. And all the mouthwash, breath mints, and breath fresheners in the world can’t banish bad breath when the source is bacteria rather than the food you eat.

If you’ve been having trouble keeping your mouth feeling fresh and smelling good, this article will help you locate the real source of the problem…and it may not be the onions you ate at lunch.

How do you know if your breath smells bad? If you’re lucky, someone may have the courtesy (and courage) to tell you to your face. But more often than not, other people will simply flinch, turn away, or step back a pace when you’re talking to them.

To avoid the embarrassing situations described above, you can use these two techniques to give yourself a breath checkup and help you determine what’s making your mouth smell so unpleasant to yourself and others.

• Breath Test #1 – Front (Anterior) Tongue Test - Lick your wrist. Then wait about five seconds while the saliva dries somewhat. Smell your wrist. If it smells bad, you have probably recently eaten something stinky. Simply brushing your teeth and rinsing your mouth with mouthwash, or popping a breath mint should take care of the problem. Chewing on fresh parsley is another effective way to fight temporary bad breath

• Breath Test #2 – Back (Posterior) Tongue Test – Take a spoon, turn it upside down, and use it to gently scrape the very back portion of your tongue. (It’s common that this test can cause an automatic ‘gag’ reaction, so be prepared.) A thick whitish material will be on the spoon. Give it a sniff. If the smell is sharp and unpleasant, you most likely have halitosis, the kind of ‘bad breath’ that is caused by poor oral hygiene and that won’t respond to simple brushing and mouth wash.

If you failed Breath Test #2, you’re not alone. A research study conducted by the University of Buffalo  concluded that one in four adults has halitosis, and some estimates suggest that as many as 90 million people have bad breath related to oral hygiene.

When the white substance on the back of your tongue smells bad, the likely culprit is a bacteria associated with gum disease is. The bacteria’s name is actinomyces, and it feeds on protein particles on the teeth and gums, producing foul-smelling sulfur gases in the process. Actinomyces is also the bacteria responsible for giving soil its ‘dirt’ smell and envelopes your mouth a sharp, pungent aroma.

Bacteria growth occurs when you fail to pay attention to your oral hygiene. In fact, flossing daily and brushing your teeth and tongue twice a day can greatly reduce bad breath as well as make it more difficult for bacteria to grow. BUT…

The same bacteria that cause gum disease, tooth decay, and abscessed teeth are also responsible for halitosis. Regular check-ups and professional cleanings are the only way to really ensure that your mouth is healthy and your breath is sweet-smelling.

so if you would like to know more then please call us on 01772 717316 or email info@lifestyledental.co.uk

Do you suffer from halitosis or more commonly know as bad breath ?

well there could be a number of reasons for this one of them could be related to medication certain medications can give a very dry mouth which then results in bad breath

also if you suffer from anxiety then this can also be related to dry mouth which results in bad breath

other causes of bad breath can be

gum disease

food packing in fillings or cavities

broken teeth or decayed teeth

if you suffer form bad breath then give us a call on 01772 717316 or email on info@lifestyledental.co.uk and let us help you give you the confidence of fresh breath

Do you suffer from bad breath or Halitosis?

It is more common than you think and can be a real problem. Reducing your confidence and your left with the feeling of what are others thinking when you are talking.

Different types of bad breath are treated in different ways.You may be using the wrong approach and its not getting any better.

Gum Disease (also know as periodontitis) is a major cause of early tooth loss.  It is an inflammatory condition that affects your  tissues surrounding a tooth.  These are the structures that help support the teeth and hold them in place.

    What causes Gum disease?

Plaque bacteria are present within your mouth, and this is why you should brush your teeth to remove these deposits to prevent the bacteria from forming cavities or producing bad breath.  However, what you may not be aware of is how destructive this bacteria is to the health of the gums.

   Without effect cleaning the bacteria are able to colonise and form pockets within the gums. These bacteria produce toxins which lead to periodontal breakdown.

  Therefore the bacteria destroy the supporting structures, including connective tissue and bone.

How Do I know if I have got Gum Disease?

Some of the signs may include:  

• Bleeding gums during tooth brushing
• Sensitive or red inflamed gums which can ruin a smile
• Bad Breath which can cause you embarrassment and problems.
• Loose teeth or teeth which have moved causing gaps between the teeth

These are just some of the signs that may be apparent to you.

However, by visiting your dental professional regularly gum disease can be detected by thorough examination of the gum tissues and using radiographs to detect any changes in bone levels. 

How Do I Keep my smile and stop Gum Disease?

By having regular visits with your Dentist and Dental Hygienist you will have your teeth professionally cleaned and an individualised oral hygiene regime tailored to your needs, to help keep your mouth healthy. Now to take some advice and have a free 20 minute Dental health check to asses how healthly your teeth are please call 01772 717316 

Written by Jade Gray