If bad breath is keeping you from living confidently, our Toluca Lake dentists can help. Nobody wants to be hampered by unpleasant breath, and the good news is there are steps that you can take to take control of this problem. Keep reading to learn more!
We’ve all experienced the temporary bread breath that results from eating and drinking odorous thinks—like garlic, onions, and red wine. For the most part, this type of bad breath is not particularly worrisome; as these foods work their way out of your system, the odors will dissipate.
The more troublesome type of bad breath is chronic and caused by bacteria build up in the mouth. Here’s how it works: as bacteria accumulate, they feed on sugars and refined carbohydrates on your smile. As a side effect of this process, oral bacteria produce unpleasant and strong smells.
So, in order to manage and defeat this type of malodorous breath, it is critical that you minimize the number of bacteria in your mouth, and treat any infected tissue. Your treatment plan may include:
- An updated daily oral hygiene plan—our team may recommend that you use specially formulated toothpastes or mouth rinses to neutralize bacteria. Some patients also incorporate dental tools, like waterpiks, into their routines.
- Frequent professional cleanings—the general recommendation from the American Dental Association is for patients to complete cleanings every six months or so. However, people who are battling ongoing dental infections often benefit from professional cleanings on a more frequent basis.
- Root planing and scaling—this treatment removes plaque and tartar from your smile, all the way down to your tooth root. Our team gives your smile a fresh start, so that we can start to heal and regenerate healthy tissue.
- Cavity elimination—if any of your teeth have developed caries, our team will remove the diseased tissue and restore the tooth. Cavities that are left untreated can cause halitosis perpetually.
Effectively treating chronic bad breath begins with bringing your smile back to health. Give our Toluca Lake dentists a call to learn more!