Dental Sedation in Albuquerque, NM

We Get to the Bottom of Your Bad Breath

March 9, 2018
Dental Care

Everyone experiences “morning breath” or the occasional bout of stinky breath. But if you suffer from chronic bad breath or halitosis, the usual fixes like brushing your teeth, using mouthwash, or popping a breath mint work only momentarily, if at all.

And halitosis can be debilitating. You may feel embarrassed to speak with people and even routine interactions become stressful. Your self-esteem may plummet, which affects how you present and carry yourself — with potential consequences both socially and professionally.

At Uptown Dental Associates, we are a judgment-free zone. You can make an appointment with us without embarrassment or hesitation. We will help you discover the cause or causes of your halitosis and then offer a solution that works.

Book an appointment at our Albuquerque, NM office.

We Find the Source of Your Halitosis

Tracking down what is causing halitosis can take a bit of detective work, as there can be a number of reasons behind the affliction. Here are some of the more common ones.

  • Food is a leading cause of off-smelling breath. This may work in a couple of ways. First, if there is food trapped in your teeth, this causes the proliferation of smelly bacteria. Plus, if you eat certain foods like onions and garlic, they may actually cause an odor on your breath after digestion.
  • Not surprisingly, cigarettes and other tobacco products will cause your breath to smell bad.
  • If you practice poor oral hygiene, food particles, bacteria, and plaque may build up in your mouth, causing an unpleasant smell.
  • A dry mouth means you have an insufficient amount of saliva being produced. Saliva is critical in washing away food particles and odor-causing bacteria.
  • Some medications or medical conditions, such as tonsil stones, may affect how your breath smells.
  • Bad-smelling breath may be a sign of some sort of infection in your mouth. It could indicate gum disease, tooth decay, mouth sores, or an infection after oral surgery.

Halitosis Home Remedies

There are a few things you can try out at home to see if they help improve the smell of your breath.

  • Supercharge your oral hygiene routine. “Brush up” on your brushing and flossing technique and be vigilant about brushing twice every day (after every meal if possible) and flossing at least once per day, twice if you can. Don’t forget to brush your tongue!
  • Drink lots of water — with meals and throughout the day. If you have a soda, sports drink, or juice habit, replace it with a water habit. In the morning especially, give your mouth a good rinse to wash away some of that “morning breath” bacteria.
  • Freshen your breath by chewing on a citrus rind or a sprig of parsley, basil, cilantro, or mint.

We Offer Halitosis Solutions

If nothing you do at home seems to get rid of your unpleasant breath, come to Uptown Dental Associates. Every case of halitosis is different, but we will track down the reasons behind yours and provide counseling and treatments that will give you sweet-smelling breath once again.