Bad breath is a killer.

It kills dates, job interviews, friendships, and many other relationships.

We all know people that have bad breath and most of us would not dare tell that person about it. The truth is, we all have bad breath at times, but some people literally have bad breath all the time and don’t know it. How do you think that affects their life?

Bad breath has many origins, but quite frequently it is bad teeth, meaning decay, gum disease and misaligned teeth where plaque is hard to get off.

Bateria smell bad, and if your mouth is full of them it will “stink”. Decay and plaque are filled with millions and billions of odor producing bacteria that can make your mouth a cesspit. Getting plaque off your teeth is a challenge even if your teeth are perfectly straight. Most people brush about 1 minute twice a day. We, as dentists, recommend you brush 2 minutes twice a day, but what we don’t usually communicate well enough is that this recommendation is for people who have perfect, healthy teeth! IF you have crooked teeth, crowns, fillings, etc. then this 2 minute rule simply is not enough. It should be more like 4 minutes, plus flossing. Who do you know that brushes their teeth for 4 minutes?

So, how do you freshen your breath when you have crooked teeth? Well, we have a few great options that surely will dramatically change your breath and how you feel about your smile.

This is what I recommend at Ideal Dentistry:

• Complete exam to discover the cause of the bad breath
• Treat major gum disease first (infection) with Perio Protect trays
• Clean teeth after perio protect trays as needed – deep cleaning may be necessary
• Treat decay
• Straighten teeth, rebuild function of mouth and smile
• Replace bad dentistry that traps plaque and bacteria
• Maintain function of smile with NG and new perio protect trays if teeth were moved
• See dental hygienist at recommended interval and follow ideal home regimen

I hope you notice that mouthwash such as listerine, scope and other “mouth deodorants” are NOT on the list. Trying to mask the smell does not work for more than a few minutes and gives you a false sense you closure. The problem still is there and is getting worse! It’s kinda like that febreze commercial where they blind fold the person in a smelly environment and temporarily make the environment smell pleasant by spraying air freshener everywhere! The stink is still there, just temporarily covered.

Don’t ignore the cause of bad breath, it is a warning sign of underlying serious issues.

Following the above mentioned regimen will give you not only good breath that lasts, but also maximize your oral health and longevity of your teeth.

Keep Smiling.