Monday, March 16, 2015

Call Our Family Dentist Office If You Have Bad Breath

Family Dentist
At our family dentist office, we want to hear from you if you are suffering from bad breath.  This can be a sign of a greater health condition so while it may be easy to blame your morning latte, we want to get to the bottom of what is causing the odor protruding from your mouth.  Yes, there are times where breath stinks as a direct result of what you have eaten.  This, however, is easy to identify and after brushing your teeth, your breath will typically smell better.  What concerns us, is breath that continues to smell bad even after you brush your teeth or is persistently getting worse.  If you aren't sure, ask your family since they are likely to be honest with you.

One of the common causes for bad breath is teeth that haven't been professionally cleaned for a long time.  There are certain areas within every mouth that are difficult to reach with at-home care.  Even those that are fastidious about brushing and flossing, may be unable to reach every area, and this is where we come in.  We can clean your teeth and remove the plaque and bacteria from hard to reach places.  This is good for your health and may also improve how your breath smells.

During these teeth cleanings and dental exams, we will also look for signs of an infection.  An infected tooth can cause irritation and sensitivity when you bite down but in many cases, you may not notice it until the infection requires immediate care.  We prefer, however, to treat the tooth before it reaches this point.  Your breath can be an early sign of the infection so if you come in right away, we can remove the infection and restore the tooth before you are bothered by it.  Depending on the severity of the infection, we may need to perform a root canal.  Given modern dental technology, this can be done while you remain completely comfortable in our family dentist office.

Another condition that we will look for is gum disease.  In its most extreme state, gum disease can cause  your gums to recede and pockets to form in the gum tissue.  This can lead to bone loss and future tooth loss.  However, if we catch the condition early enough you may not even know that you have it.  Gingivitis can make your gums red and swollen but the irritation is minor, and we can treat the gums by simply removing the plaque and tartar from under the surface of the gum tissue.  Once done, the gums will begin to return to good health.  Early detection allows us to prevent damage to your teeth and helps you to avoid discomfort.

In our family dentist office, we want to know about changes in your breath due to these primary health concerns.  It is our goal to help our patients avoid discomfort, and early detection and treatment makes this possible.  Therefore, if you notice that your breath stinks even after brushing, give us a call.



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