What Is Halitosis?
What is halitosis?
Halitosis is a medical term for bad breath. It is a common condition that many people experience. As periodontists, patients often come to us complaining of halitosis symptoms and asking whether anything can be done to improve their situation.
In this article, we will provide some background information about halitosis and describe its causes and treatments. We will also provide useful tips for improving your halitosis symptoms from home.
What is halitosis?
There are several causes of halitosis, but the most common one is related to oral hygiene. As you may know, dentists recommend brushing and flossing because these practices remove food particles from your teeth and gums. If food particles are allowed to build up, they will support the growth of odor-causing bacteria.
While poor oral hygiene is by far the most common cause of halitosis, it is not the only possible explanation for bad breath. Other potential causes include:
• Medical Conditions: Certain chronic medical conditions can cause bad breath. Common culprits include sinus infections, respiratory infections, gastrointestinal reflux disease (GERD), and liver/kidney disease.
• Dry Mouth: Saliva helps wash away excess food particles stuck in your mouth. Without sufficient saliva, food particles build up and result in chronic bad breath. Certain medications, medical conditions, salivary gland issues, and mouth breathing can contribute to low saliva production and halitosis.
• Tobacco Use: Tobacco use is known to cause bad breath. It can also contribute to the development of gum disease, another significant cause of halitosis.
• Gum Disease: Gum disease is a chronic inflammatory condition that affects the gum tissue. If left untreated, it can cause a host of problems, including gum recession, tooth loss, bleeding gums, and bad breath.
How to treat halitosis?
The first step in treating halitosis involves determining the underlying cause. As periodontists, part of our job is determining why dental problems occur. Once we have determined the cause, we recommend an appropriate and effective treatment.
In certain instances, the treatment for halitosis is straightforward. For example, if a particular medication or food is causing bad breath, we would recommend finding a different medication or eliminating the odor-causing food from your diet. If poor oral hygiene is the problem, simply brushing and flossing your teeth regularly can solve the issue.
However, the treatment for other causes, such as tobacco use, dry mouth, and gum disease, is more complex. For starters, we do understand that quitting tobacco is very difficult, and we empathize with people who are in the process of trying to quit. In the meantime, finding a nicotine alternative may help to alleviate your halitosis symptoms.
Dry mouth has many potential causes, but it makes sense to try the simple treatments first. Some people suffer from dry mouth because they are dehydrated. In this case, the treatment is just to drink more water. If your body is not producing enough saliva, try chewing sugar-free gum. Chewing gum not only freshens your breath but also stimulates saliva production. If the easy fixes don’t solve your problem, you may want to talk to your dentist about prescription medications for dry mouth symptoms.
If your halitosis is caused by gum disease, you have come to the right place. As periodontists, we specialize in preventing, diagnosing, and treating gum disease. We treat each patient differently, depending on their unique circumstances. For some patients, we recommend a periodontal deep cleaning or root planing, while others may benefit from our LANAP laser procedure or traditional periodontal surgery.
Sacramento Periodontics can fix your halitosis
Our periodontists have decades of experience treating halitosis. We can pinpoint the cause of your bad breath and develop a personalized treatment plan to address it. We're excited to help you restore your fresh breath and achieve optimal oral health. Contact us today to schedule your consultation.