Hold the Breath, Please!

Created on July 15, 2017

Smiling is one of the most primitive ways that we can build the connection with others. According to research, a smile can be the start of a great friendship, a romantic partnership, or even a thriving career. We do a lot to protect our smiles because we understand that we project ourselves through this feature. What we don’t want to project when we speak and smile is bad breath. But we may inadvertently be doing just that. Here, we dive in to what may be causing bad breath and what you can do about it.

The Cleanliness Factor

We hate to say it, but one of the primary reasons that breath goes south is because the mouth becomes inundated with bacteria. There are hundreds of types of microorganisms that live in the mouth from day to day. Brushing and flossing are the top ways that we have to keep everything in balance. If you are starting to struggle with your breath, consider how you might improve your daily routine.

• Brush a little bit longer, a little bit more carefully. It takes about two minutes to touch every area of the mouth a few times.
• Don’t skip the floss. This is where it tends to go wrong for a lot of people. Flossing takes so little time and is easy, so do it. Flossing is the only method of removing harmful, odor-creating bacteria from the inside surfaces of teeth.
• Get a tongue scraper. Microorganisms sit at the back of the tongue, where they deposit waste. We know, that’s pretty unpleasant to think about. It’s even worse to live with. Tongue-scraping keeps bacterial activity to a minimum.

The Health Factor

There are some issues that lead to bad breath that requires professional care. These include:

• The onset of gum disease is hard to detect. Sometimes, chronic bad breath is the best indicator that a deep cleaning is needed.
• Denture woes. Denture wearers are susceptible to bad breath because the structure of the oral fixtures may be attractive to bacteria. Dentures need to be cleaned very well on a daily basis. So do the gums. This may require gentle brushing with a denture brush. Periodic adjustments to dentures are also necessary to prevent looseness that invites bacteria beneath the fixture.

You are not alone in dealing with bad breath. Get help from your Springfield dentist. Call  (413) 781-7645.

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