Preventing Bad Breath

We want all our patients at Ardas Family Dental in Parker to feel confident in their mouth’s beauty. There are lots of cosmetic options available for straighter, whiter teeth, but halitosis can mar a lovely-looking smile. Worse, it could be a sign of a disease, which is why we want our patients to understand why they should take it seriously.

Pathogenic oral bacteria emit a foul odor. This is obvious when they eat food debris lodged in between teeth and build up as tartar, but it is also true when they are hiding in the crevices of the tongue. Bacteria can consume things like nasal drip that you wouldn’t think of as food, which is why brushing and scraping the tongue is so important. Dry mouth will enable bacteria to grow more rapidly and consume debris that isn’t being washed away by saliva, so you may need to ask your doctor about switching away from medications that cause dry mouth as a side effect.

Some conditions make dry mouth or tooth decay likelier. Diabetes impedes the immune system’s function and raises saliva’s sugar content. Acid reflux can cause stomach acid to enter the oral cavity. Foods that commonly trigger acid reflux, such as onions and garlic, also contain the chemicals that enter the lungs through the bloodstream and cause bad breath from there, although that is not a serious health concern. The best way to prevent halitosis is by drinking lots of water and by using a humidifier to keep the mouth moisturized while asleep.

Dr. Roopi Kattaura operates Ardas Family Dental at 10233 S Parker Rd, Suite 205, Parker, Colorado. Call 720-459-8420 or visit Ardas Family Dental and fill out a contact sheet.