Health Update

Mouth fresheners make a great deal of sense. There could something especially aromatic in food that you eat away from home, or perhaps you are partial to garlic and onions. It is rare to have friends and family muster the courage to tell you that you may have halitosis, though this will not be the case with even the friendliest dentist. Mouth fresheners that you can buy without prescriptions do not constitute bad breath treatment in any case. Temporary relief is simply not good enough if the problem recurs often, or if it seems unrelated to food habits.

A dentist will need to make a thorough examination of the insides of your mouth, to determine whether you have halitosis, before deciding on a course of bad breath treatment to deal with the specifics of your case. Sometimes, just drinking water frequently, or chewing gum may suffice to deal with a dry mouth, which concentrates malodorous substances in exhaled breath. Children may often be guilty of improper brushing, though adults can be careless in this respect as well. Removing stale coating from the tongue, and dislodging pieces of food stuck between teeth, are other personal habits which may suffice by way of bad breath treatment. A dentist can also remove accumulated plaque, deal with diseases of the gums, and prescribe antibiotics, as forms of bad breath treatment.

Bad Breath Treatment beyond Your Mouth

Dentists cannot manage all cases of halitosis on their own. Gum diseases can be quite deep seated, and may need reference to a specialist in this field. However, not all cases of bad breath originate inside the mouth. A dentist may send a patient with halitosis to a physician to deal with a systemic cause. Ketones are smelly chemicals, which are excreted through urine, perspiration, and through exhaled breath as well. Ketones build up in blood to levels which result in halitosis if a person has diabetes, has been starving, or has inadequate carbohydrate intake. Ketosis can be life threatening, so halitosis may be an indication of a serious medical condition. That is why every case of persistent bad breath deserves professional attention.

Fortunately, bad breath treatment is relatively simple once the underlying cause has been determined. However, it can recur if a patient does not follow prescriptions, or change personal habits which lead to the problem. Bad breath may develop at any time, so being free of it at one point of time does not rule out the possibility of developing it later. It is best to ask an intimate friend or a member of the family to check periodically, and to keep every appointment with a dentist.