Get Rid of Bad Breath- Help From Shelby Township Dentist Dr. Antolak

August 12, 2011 by · Leave a Comment

Hi, my name is Dr. Robert Antolak, the owner of thegentledentist.com located out in Shelby Township, Michigan. Our phone number is 586-247-3500. I want to talk to you about something that’s very personal. What happens when you wake up in the morning?  Your mouth tastes really bad, right?  Your breath is usually pretty bad too, so your spouse will remind you, brush your teeth. But what develops is something that is very intimate and close but something that’s not often talked about and that’s bad breath. What is it? What’s bad breath?

Well, bad breath basically an odor, a sulfur odor like bad and rotten eggs that you smell that’s created by the bacteria that live on your tongue. And what happens is, is when you eat food and things like that, the bacteria metabolizes that food and it creates these sulfur products. And usually, they are harbored and live in the very back of the tongue.

So food gets trapped it creates the bad breath as it gets trapped in the creases and the grooves in the tongue. And it becomes, like I said, the nutrition for the bacteria.  The sulfur compound is released and the smell comes out of your mouth. Usually at nighttime it develops more because as you have a reduction in your saliva in your mouth, which happens naturally as you sleep, the bacteria continue to repopulate and then that bad breath continues to get worse. So when you wake up in the morning you have that nasty bad breath or that taste. That’s why you need to usually take care of that.  About 90% of the bad breath does originate from the back of the tongue where bacteria are.

So, what’s important is that people who have chronic nasal drip are also more susceptible. At nighttime, if they have post-nasal drip and the dry mouth that’ll even make the situation worse. Dry mouth caused by medications- dry mouth that’s caused by, people who smoke, dry mouth caused by just as we get older. See, people battling cancer, are really at  reduced saliva flow.

There’s a few things we want to do to take care of that and if you’re a smoker.  You know, obviously it’s the best if you don’t smoke.  But if you have to, then make sure that you really brush your teeth well after you do so. Anybody, before you go to bed, make sure that you brush your teeth well and you can even use a tongue scraper to help remove some of this bacteria from the mouth.

There’s a couple few other things that will cause this. One is dieting. When people actually go on a diet, as they lose weight, their stomach actually starts producing something called ketones. It’s not from the bacteria but it’s from the fact that they’re dieting. So many people who do go on a strict diet and have lost weight will also start maybe smelling a little bit of a difference in their mouth. But that’s not a bad thing because they’re reducing their body weight which is better overall.

People who drink alcohol, they’ll also have bad breath because that dries the mouth out. So alcohol containing mouth rinses are really a negligent thing because that also continues the process of keeping the mouth dry. So even though you think you’re doing something great, it works just for the short term. But the dry mouth continues and therefore the bacteria doesn’t, they stay in the mouth. So what you can do for treatment for bad breath is have regular dental check-ups.

Of course that now, the way of if you do have cavities in your mouth which can also harbor the bacteria or gum disease which also is a big factor with bad breath because in the gums, these bacteria can live and it also produces the sulfur containing bacteria. Eating fresh fruits and vegetables can also be very good to helping improve your nutrition. Chewing on sugarless gum that increases the saliva flow helps to flush away some of these foods and helps with the turnover so you keep things fresh in your mouth.

Also like I said before, using a tongue scraper, sticking your tongue straight out far and bringing that tongue scraper all the way to the back of your tongue as far as you can go and just scraping a few times removes a large volume of these bacteria. So using that, using a non-alcoholic mouth rinse, visiting your dentist, and brushing and flossing are one of the best ways of doing that. So, if you have any questions about that, you can feel free to call us at (586) 247-3500. Or you can visit us on our website, where I do have more information on this, which is thegentledentist.com. Thank you.

Filed Under: General Dentistry Tagged With: , , ,

Bad Breath

October 1, 2007 by ·

Bad Breath?

Question:  I have bad breath and my wife lets me know about it.  Please let me know what can I do about it and where it comes from?

Answer:  More than 90 million people suffer from chronic halitosis or bad breath. In most cases it originates from the gums and tongue. The odor is caused by bacteria from the decay of food particles, other debris in your mouth, and poor oral hygiene. The decay and debris produce a sulfur compound that causes the unpleasant odor.   Bad breath is primarily caused by poor oral hygiene, but also can be caused by retained food particles or gum disease. Proper brushing including brushing the tongue, cheeks, and the roof of the mouth will remove bacteria and food particles. Flossing removes accumulated bacteria, plaque and food that may be trapped between teeth. Mouth rinses are effective in temporary relief of bad breath. Consult your dentist and/or physician if the condition persists.

It also may occur in people who have a medical infection, gum disease, diabetes, kidney failure, or a liver malfunction. Xerostomia (dry mouth) and tobacco also contribute to this problem. Cancer patients who undergo radiation therapy may experience dry mouth. Even stress, dieting, snoring, age and hormonal changes can have an effect on your breath. An odor that comes from the back of your tongue may indicate post-nasal drip. This is where the mucus secretion, which comes from the nose and moves down your throat, gets stuck on the tongue and causes an odor. Bad breath originating in the stomach, however, is considered to be extremely rare.

Saliva is the key ingredient in your mouth that helps keep the odor under control because it helps wash away food particles and bacteria, the primary cause of bad breath. When you sleep, however, salivary glands slow down the production of saliva allowing the bacteria to grow inside the mouth. To alleviate “morning mouth,” brush your teeth and eat a morning meal. Morning mouth also is associated with hunger or fasting. Those who skip breakfast, beware because the odor may reappear even if you’ve brushed your teeth.

Very spicy foods, such as onions and garlic, and coffee may be detected on a person’s breath for up to 72 hours after digestion. Onions, for example, are absorbed by the stomach and the odor is then excreted through the lungs. Studies even have shown that garlic rubbed on the soles of the feet can show up on the breath.

It is important to practice good oral hygiene, such as brushing and flossing your teeth at least twice a day. To alleviate the odor, clean your tongue with your toothbrush or a tongue scraper, a plastic tool that scrapes away bacteria that builds on the tongue. Chewing sugar-free gum also may help control the odor. If you have dentures or a removable appliance, such as a retainer or mouthguard, clean the appliance thoroughly before placing it back in your mouth. Before you use mouth rinses, deodorizing sprays or tablets, talk with your dentist because these products only mask the odor temporarily, and some products work better than others.

Visit your dentist regularly because checkups will help detect any physical problems. Checkups also help get rid of the plaque and bacteria that build up on your teeth. Your dentist can check you out and make a determination where the source of the odor is originating.  If it seems to be from a systemic problem you may be referred to your physician for further tests and evaluation.

Filed Under: General Dentistry, Mouth pain, Oral Conditions Tagged With: , , ,

Dry Mouth and Bad Breath

March 12, 2007 by ·

Question: I have bad breath and my wife lets me know about it. Please let me know what can I do about it and where it comes from?

Answer: More than 90 million people suffer from chronic halitosis or bad breath. In most cases it originates from the gums and tongue. The odor is caused by bacteria from the decay of food particles, other debris in your mouth, and poor oral hygiene. The decay and debris produce a sulfur compound that causes the unpleasant odor. Bad breath is primarily caused by poor oral hygiene, but can also be caused by retained food particles or gum disease. Proper brushing including brushing the tongue, cheeks, and the roof of the mouth will remove bacteria and food particles. Flossing removes accumulated bacteria, plaque and food that may be trapped between teeth. Mouth rinses are effective in temporary relief of bad breath. Consult your dentist and/or physician if the condition persists.

It also may occur in people who have a medical infection, gum disease, diabetes, kidney failure, or a liver malfunction. Xerostomia (dry mouth) and tobacco also contribute to this problem. Cancer patients who undergo radiation therapy may experience dry mouth. Even stress, dieting, snoring, age and hormonal changes can have an effect on your breath. An odor that comes from the back of your tongue may indicate post-nasal drip. This is where the mucus secretion, which comes from the nose and moves down your throat, gets stuck on the tongue and causes an odor. Bad breath originating in the stomach, however, is considered to be extremely rare.

Saliva is the key ingredient in your mouth that helps keep the odor under control because it helps wash away food particles and bacteria, the primary cause of bad breath. When you sleep, however, salivary glands slow down the production of saliva allowing the bacteria to grow inside the mouth. To alleviate “morning mouth,” brush your teeth and eat a morning meal. Morning mouth also is associated with hunger or fasting. Those who skip breakfast, beware because the odor may reappear even if you’ve brushed your teeth.

Very spicy foods, such as onions and garlic, and coffee may be detected on a person’s breath for up to 72 hours after digestion. Onions, for example, are absorbed by the stomach and the odor is then excreted through the lungs. Studies even have shown that garlic rubbed on the soles of the feet can show up on the breath.

It is important to practice good oral hygiene, such as brushing and flossing your teeth at least twice a day. To alleviate the odor, clean your tongue with your toothbrush or a tongue scraper, a plastic tool that scrapes away bacteria that builds on the tongue. Chewing sugar-free gum also may help control the odor. If you have dentures or a removable appliance, such as a retainer or mouthguard, clean the appliance thoroughly before placing it back in your mouth. Before you use mouth rinses, deodorizing sprays or tablets, talk with your dentist because these products only mask the odor temporarily, and some products work better than others.

Visit your dentist regularly because checkups will help detect any physical problems. Checkups also help get rid of the plaque and bacteria that build up on your teeth. Your dentist can check you out and make a determination where the source of the odor is originating. If it seems to be from a systemic problem you may be referred to your physician for further tests and evaluation.

Filed Under: General Dentistry, Mouth pain, Oral Conditions Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , , , ,