Common Causes of Bad Breath

Cause: Food and Digestion

Most people know that food causes bad breath.  Certain types of foods can cause worse and more offensive odors than others.  Garlic, onions or other strong smelling foods can cause bad breath and should be eaten sparingly.   After we eat our food, it travels down the digestive tract to be processed into energy for the body.  The digestive process releases gasses that escape through the mouth.  These gasses are what contribute to your bad breath.

Cause: Lack of Brushing & Flossing

Many Americans eat 3-5 meals a day and only clean their teeth in the morning and evening.  The accumulation of food particles in the mouth will create continued plaque build-up and be a breeding ground for bacteria in your mouth.  When you breath out, the odor from these decomposing food particles, the bacteria feeding on them and the plaque on your teeth all come together to cause the offensive mouth odor.

Cause: Oral Diseases and Infections

One of the initial signs of a very serious disease called “periodontal disease” is halitosis.  When bacteria and plaque build-up, combined with bits of decomposing food in the mouth, bad breath and even gum damage can result from improper mouth care.

Cause: Cigarette Smoking

Tobacco smoking causes an unpleasant odor after you have had a cigarette.  Smoke enters the lungs and then is exhaled through the nose and mouth. This immediately effects your breath because the chemical residue from the smoke remains in your mouth and throat.  This smell lingers for hours after having one. Sustained use of cigarettes can cause gum disease, a major cause of bad breath.

Bad Breath Prevention

There are many quick and simple actions you can take to prevent bad breath everyday, here are a few:

• Brush more than the usual twice daily.  It’s best to brush after meals and remember to include your tongue while you’re cleaning your mouth!  Learn more about Preventative Care
• Regular dental visits to Dr. Brooks here at San Diego Dentistry will help you get rid of some of the more resilient oral build-up.  It’s best to come in for a complete examination and a regular cleaning every six months.  Overdue for your appointment?  Schedule it today!
• Use natural anti-bacterial additives when brushing your teeth.  A few drops of tee tree or peppermint oil on your tongue or directly on to your tooth brush when cleaning your teeth will help fight the bacteria causing your bad breath.
• If your smoker’s breath is causing problems with others, consider quitting!
• Avoid foods that cause bad breath.  Onions, garlic and other stinky munchies will leave a lasting unpleasant odor.
• Try chewing sugarless gum, mints or breath strips.  These increase the amount of saliva in your mouth helping to wash away any excess food particles still in your mouth after a meal.  The minty smell from these items will also cover or mask the odor in your mouth, however this effect will only be temporary and it is recommended that you ideally brush after meals.

Not only will practicing these good habits lead to better smelling mouth, but they will also help maintain better overall oral health.

Ten years of clinical testing by the ADA (American Dental Association) have substantiated the safety and effectiveness of 10-15 % carbamide peroxide in tooth whitening. This testing has resulted in the ADA acceptance of only five home use products. One of these products, Opalescence, made by Ultradent, is my personal choice. If you want the names of the other accepted products, please call San Diego Dentistry at 858-483-3302.

Tooth sensitivity is a concern for a small percentage of patients. The practice of overnight bleaching, which is the accepted method, leads to a certain amount of tooth dehydration and sensitivity. In patients for whom this is an issue the use of the trays for 3-4 hours before bedtime can help. The trays can be cleaned and then neutral fluoride or potassium nitrate placed to further reduce sensitivity.

Some patients who are interested in faster whitening results are candidates for in office bleaching which uses higher concentrations of carbamide peroxide with an energy source. These can be lasers, lamps, or heating devices. Many of these devices have not achieved ADA acceptance and studies of carbamide peroxide in concentrations above 15% have negative clinical reports. These techniques lack scientific support and I therefore use only home bleaching with ADA approved materials.

If you have further questions please contact San Diego Dentistry at 858-483-3302.

Infants are not born with the harmful bacteria necessary to cause caries, but these are always transmitted by close intimate contact with caregivers, especially the mother.

Diets high in sugar or simple carbohydrates (breads) which are broken down to sugars in the mouth are very problematic.

Caries, formation increases with both the number of exposures and the length of time of each exposure. In my own practice, I have seen some very interesting cases that reinforce these concepts. One of my adult patients, the mother of a 16 year old, brought her daughter to me for a “second opinion”. The daughter’s dentist had told the mother that her child needed sixteen crowns because of the severe amount of caries present in her mouth. My examination confirmed the severity of the caries problem. The previous dentist had offered no explanation for the daughter’s high caries rate and during my questioning; I could not find any obvious reasons for her problems. Being very conservative, I told the mother that I would attempt to fill her daughter’s teeth. Certainly the financial impact of sixteen crowns would have been devastating, so we scheduled the patient for her first appointment. Upon arrival for her visit, the patient placed an open can of cola on my counter. She had reported only drinking two sodas per day at her first appointment. I asked her again how many sodas she consumed per day and got the same answer, two. Realizing that this was not excessive, I asked the most important question of her dental life. “How long does it take you to finish one soda?” Her response made it clear why she was having severe caries problems. She said “I sip on one all morning and sip on the other all afternoon”. Wow, I suddenly got a totally different picture of only two sodas per day. She was literally bathing her teeth in sugar and acid up to eight hours per day.

Interestingly, I have found that patients who drink diet sodas, frequently during the day, have a greater caries problem. Why? Because the diet sodas are highly acidic.
When counseling patients, I advise patients to limit sugary foods to meal times, followed by rinsing and brushing. I point out that eating half a cake following a meal has a much different effect than snacking on that cake over several hours, especially if they brush after meals.

Hopefully you are getting a better perspective on what factors cause high caries rates.

The fast food craze has not only promoted the ingestion of high fat, high sugar foods, but foods that are totally lacking in nutritional value.

Both children and adolescents consume excessive amounts of soda on a regular basis. Again, by limiting sodas to meal time, parents can have a positive impact on their offspring’s dental health. Sugared gum is also problematic. It is felt that adults, in general, have less problems with caries, but this changes in the elderly. Factors responsible are gum recession, xeristomia (dry mouth), poor diet, and lack of proper oral hygiene. Roots exposed by recession are “softer” than enamel and more susceptible to caries. Salivary flow can diminish as a side effect of certain drugs or diseases. Saliva is an essential buffer in caries formation. Decrease in manual dexterity is certainly a factor in declining oral hygiene.

What can be done with products and procedures to lessen caries formation? Automatic tooth brushes are extremely helpful in reducing plaque (bacteria). I recommend Oral B. Xylitol containing gums are excellent. They inhibit plaque formation, reduce acid formation and are low calorie. Fluoride is essential in making enamel more resistant to acids. Tooth pastes should provide fluoride. Our water supply now contains fluoride, so drink more tap water. Fluoride rinses are available over-the-counter. In office fluoride treatments are also available.

Hopefully, we have given you some insight into the causes and cures for caries formation. At San Diego Dentistry, we are here for you to provide counseling concerning caries or any other of your dental needs.

With over 30 years of caring, knowledge and experience, Dr. Donald Brooks and his staff at San Diego Dentistry are here to provide you with quality dental care.

Friendly Atmosphere

We offer up to date dentistry in a warm, friendly, relaxing atmosphere where you’ll always feel at-home. Dr. Brooks has always been a proud member of the San Diego community and takes pride in caring for his fellow San Diegans with an easy going and caring attitude in all the work he does.

No Rushed Treatment – Not a High Volume Clinic Mentality

At San Diego Dentistry, our focus is you. You will always see the doctor and because he schedules adequate time for procedures, waiting is very rare. We honor your time and therefor know that you will honor ours. We see our patients one at a time and never double or triple book. You and your family always come first at San Diego Dentistry.

Only the Best Materials

We don’t use cheap overseas labs or discount materials with any of our procedures.

We Honor Your Time

Here at San Diego Dentistry we always provide services based on the patients’ needs, not the doctor’s needs. You will always see the doctor and because he schedules adequate time for procedures, waiting is very rare. We honor your time and therefore know that you will honor ours. We see our patients one at a time and never double or triple book. The patient always comes first at San Diego Dentistry.

San Diego Dentistry serves Pacific Beach, La Jolla, Clairemont and the University City areas.

Click here to contact San Diego Dentistry for an appointment or directions.

To prevent your children from getting cavities or gingivitis, you should instill proper brushing habits in them early. Here are a couple tips to make tooth brushing a little more fun for your kids and a part of their regular routine:

• Have them brush at least twice a day – mornings and nights – with a soft tooth brush. When brushing, have them use slow circular motions on each tooth and be sure they get those hard to reach back teeth as well, as these tend to get missed.
• Buy your child a fun tooth brush. There’s a great tooth brush called the Firefly that lights up and flashes for 1 minute when squeezed. This way they can squeeze it once as they start to brush their bottom teeth, and when it stops, squeeze again and have them clean their upper teeth. That’s a full 2 minutes of great cleaning!
• Make it a game: Tell them their teeth get food stuck in them after they eat and little creepy crawly bugs invade their mouth, eating all that leftover food. The only way to keep them out is to brush and brush good for two whole minutes.
• Brush with their favorite character: Whether it’s Spongebob Squarepants or Dora the Explorer, you can help encourage your child to brush by brushing the teeth of their favorite stuffed character while they brush along with them!

Doing some of these things everyday will help your child create a solid tooth brushing routine that will help keep their smiles healthy for years to come.

San Diego Dentistry serves Pacific Beach, La Jolla, Clairemont and the University City areas.