Call a Family Dentist If You Have Severe Bad Breath

As a family dentist, we want to know if you have severe bad breath.  While this may seem like a simple or cosmetic issue, it can actually be a sign of a health condition that requires treatment.  We practice preventative dental care, and our goal is to keep our patients healthy.  We don't want any of our patient to experience unnecessary discomfort, and early detection is an important part of preventing that.  Therefore, we encourage you to pay attention to the smell of your breath.  If you notice that it smells worse than it used to, or it smells even after you brushed your teeth, give us a call. 

• Step one.  We will begin by cleaning your teeth to remove any plaque or bacteria that has built up over time.  We have found that regardless of how fastidiously you brush your teeth, there are some places that are simply too difficult to reach with at-home are alone.  We can reach into these areas and perform a comprehensive cleaning in our dental office.  For many people, this is effective enough for reducing bad breath, especially in those that don’t floss on a regular basis. 
• Step two.  In our family dentist office, we will then proceed with inspecting your teeth and gums to determine if you have a tooth infection or gum disease.  Both of these conditions can lead to bad breath and require immediate treatment. 
• Step three. We will begin to treat you based on what we find during your dental exam.  For example, if you have a tooth infection, we may need to perform a root canal in order to remove the infected area prior to sealing up the hole and placing a crown on your tooth.  This will restore it to good health and full functionality.  If, however, you have gum disease, we may need to perform a deep cleaning to remove the plaque and tartar from under the surface of your gums, which will allow your gums to heal themselves.  If the condition has progressed, we may need to perform a more invasive procedure such as a gum graft.  The treatment options we present you with will be based on the severity of your health problems. 

In our family dentist office, we can either complete the treatment portion during your office visit or at a second visit shortly thereafter.  Our goal is to treat any health issues before they can intensify, in order to prevent unnecessary discomfort.  With that in mind, there are also things that you can do at home to prevent bad breath.  We suggest that you brush your teeth three times a day with a soft toothbrush and a toothpaste containing fluoride.  This will both clean and strengthen your teeth.  This needs to be combined with flossing once a day, using an antiseptic mouthwash and a tongue scraper for the best results.  You must also drink plenty of water in order to keep your mouth moist and your breath fresh.  Working together we can help your breath to smell better and your mouth to remain in good oral health.