During your dental exam, we will begin by cleaning your teeth and in some people, this is all that is required. Food and plaque can easily become stuck on and in between teeth. While brushing at home, can help to remove it, this is often not enough, making a professional teeth cleaning important. We recommend having your teeth cleaned twice a year, which will help with your breath and your health.
After your teeth have been cleaned, we will look for any infections. As a general dentist, we find that many people will unknowingly live with a tooth infection and not seek treatment until it becomes too uncomfortable to eat. Persistent bad breath is a sign of an infection, and if you come in right away, we can treat the condition before it causes you discomfort, or it is allowed to spread. This is better for your health and your comfort. Once the infected area is removed, we will restore the tooth structure and use a dental crown as necessary for preserving it.
If you don’t have a tooth infection, you may have gum disease that is causing your breath to stink. Gum disease is incredibly common and, like a tooth infection, many people don’t realize they have it until the disease has progressed. If you can catch it early, this is best for your health. Plaque becoming stuck under the gums is often the cause of gum disease so by performing a deep cleaning we can treat the condition. This, however, does require an early diagnosis. When gum disease is left untreated, the gums may start to recede and pull away from the tooth structure. As it does so, pockets are created in the gum tissue, a prime spot for bacteria and plaque to gather. This can lead to bone and tooth loss as the bacteria create acid to attack the teeth. If, however, you come in due to bad breath, or because you notice that your gums are red, we can treat the condition before any of these additional problems arise.
In our general dentist office, we can also provide you with ideas for how to treat bad breath at home. Some you already know like brushing your teeth after meals and flossing once a day. However, a lot of our patients have never heard of a tongue scraper, and this simple tool can remove bacteria that causes bad breath. To try it out, go to your local drug store and incorporate it into your nightly teeth brushing routine.
