Dealing with Bad Breath: Breath Mints Just Won’t Cut It

One of the biggest causes behind chronic bad breath is bacterial infection. These nasty disease-causing pathogens feast upon the sugars in the mouth and as a waste product, release noxious-smelling compounds containing sulfur and nitrogen. It is the foul odor associated with bacterial infection and decay that makes people recoil in revulsion. So, the best way to treat bad breath is to (1) maintain a sound oral hygiene routine and (2) go to your general dentist and describe your concerns. They will perform a thorough clinical examination of your mouth, teeth, tongue and gums to determine the source of the bad odors and suggest an appropriate course of treatment. Should you present with periodontal (gum) disease, you may require X-rays to aid in the diagnosis of the extent of the damage done, as well as a course of antibiotics, which will be your preliminary steps to eliminating infection.

Periodontal (gum) Disease and Bad Breath

A key indicator of periodontal disease – which is an acute bacterial infection – is chronic bad breath. There are however an array of other symptoms that you may have managed to ignore up until now. Tooth discoloration, oral lesions, brown spots on the gum margins and gum bleeding when brushing are all signs of periodontal disease that should never be ignored! If you present with any of these and have been told by a considerate friend or family member that your breath pongs, then you should seek immediate professional attention. Left untreated, gum disease leads to a whole host of terrible symptoms, such as tooth loss and the deterioration of jaw bone health. Try remedying that with a breath mint!

Bad Breath: A Final Note

Suffering from bad breath is a social curse and most unpleasant for all parties concerned. Make sure you go for regular check-ups with your dentist to prevent ailments and infections – the key causes of bad breath – from developing in the first place.