It sounds like a dentist's nightmare: a practice in which absolutely every patient has bad breath. But Anthony Dailley, DDS, founder and director of the San Francisco based Center for Breath Treatment, finds the work a source of sweet satisfaction. "I practiced general dentistry for 15 years and never affected people's lives the way I have since I started treating halitosis," says Dr. Dailley, whose patients have often spent many years searching for a remedy to halitosis before finding their way to his chair. "Bad breath carries a real social stigma," he explains. "When we treat someone with chronic bad breath, it makes a tremendous difference in their life." Whether your bad breath troubles are chronic or the occasional morning-after-pizza variety, you can clear the air.
From Whence This Foul Wind? An overabundance of odor-producing bacteria in your mouth, particularly on the back of your tongue, is the most common cause of bad breath. A bit of self-help--including a dedicated regimen of tooth and tongue brushing--will usually do the trick, explains Richard H. Price, DMD, a professor at Boston University Dental School. There are other less-common causes of bad breath and halitosis however. Dieting can contribute to bad breath, as can postnasal drip. In more serious cases, sour breath may be a symptom of health problems--including respiratory infection, gastroesophageal reflux, uncontrolled diabetes, and kidney failure--that require medical attention, says Mahvash Navazesh, DMD, chairman of the section of oral medicine and oral diagnosis at the University of Southern California School of Dentistry in Los Angeles.
Here's what certain types of bad breath can mean:
- Sweet and fruity--Diabetes
- Ammonia/urine--Kidney failure
- Rotten eggs--Cirrhosis of the liver
3. If it's a passing thing, brush or floss, sip a glass of water, suck a sugar-free mint, or chew a stick of sugarless gum, suggests Dr. Navazesh.
4. If your bad breath is a chronic problem, launch an offensive against the usual suspects--odor-producing bacteria--by doing the following:
- Get rid of the food debris on which the bacteria thrive by brushing your teeth (and any dental work) twice a day, flossing daily, brushing or scraping your tongue first thing in the morning and last thing at night, and seeing your dentist for regular checkups and cleanings.
- Sip at least eight 8-oz glasses of water daily. That'll keep your mouth moist, which is important because saliva helps wash away the food debris on which those noxious bacteria thrive.
- Cut back on coffee and alcohol, which dry your mouth, and fatty foods and dairy products, which can change the acidity in your mouth so that it favors an overgrowth of bacteria.
- Drugs can sometimes contribute to nasty breath by inhibiting saliva flow and drying out your mouth. Offenders include some antidepressants, antihistamines and decongestants, diuretics, high blood pressure medications, and pain relievers. Ask your doctor if you can switch to another drug that isn't as drying.
If Nothing's Working See your dentist. For starters, he should check to see whether that bad breath and foul odor is coming from your mouth or your nose. If it's the latter, you may have a sinus or respiratory problem for which you should see your family doctor. Your dentist should also check for and treat fractured teeth and fillings, which can trap food debris, and cavities and gum disease, which can also contribute to bad breath, says Dr. Navazesh. In addition, he should check to make sure that you clean your teeth, gums, and tongue properly, and possibly follow up with a professional cleaning, says Dr. Price.
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