Bad breath, also called halitosis, can be embarrassing and even offensive to others around you. Knowing its root cause can help remedy this oral problem.
If you have bad breath, Dr. Colin Young and our professional dental team can help. At Crystal Smiles Dental in Livermore, California, we know how to identify the reason for your halitosis and remedy it. Your oral health plays a big role in how your breath smells — especially when it comes to teeth cleaning.
The link between teeth cleaning and bad breath
Your teeth, gums, and tongue are a breeding ground for bacteria. When you don’t clean your mouth well, debris stays on your teeth and collects bacteria.
At Crystal Smiles Dental, we offer biannual teeth cleanings for many reasons — one of them is to prevent you from having bad breath. We do that by helping you avoid gum disease.
If bacteria stays in your mouth, it turns into plaque. If plaque goes untreated, it turns into tartar, which can only be removed during a professional dental cleaning tool.
If you don’t have routine teeth cleanings, you can develop gum disease, which causes bad breath.
What you can expect during a teeth cleaning
When you visit our friendly office for a dental cleaning, we have you lie back comfortably in our dental chair. Our dental hygienist then examines your mouth and looks for any potential issues, such as gum inflammation. If you have any signs of concern, Dr. Young can determine if your cleaning can proceed.
Your hygienist then scrapes off plaque and tartar from your gum line and in between your teeth using a special dental tool. You might hear a scraping sound, which is normal.
Your hygienist then polishes your teeth with a gritty toothpaste using a high-speed electric toothbrush. The last step involves professional flossing, going deep in between your teeth, removing any leftover plaque or toothpaste from your cleaning.
You can then rinse your mouth with water.
How to avoid bad breath
In addition to going to your teeth cleaning appointments every six months, practice these three proactive steps to prevent plaque buildup and tartar from accumulating:
- Brush your teeth twice a day (morning and night)
- Floss at least once a day
- Use an antibacterial mouthwash at least once a day
Don’t forget to also brush your tongue, especially the back of it. Bacteria like to grow there too, producing volatile sulfur compounds (VSCs) that make your breath smell bad.
If it’s been awhile since you’ve made an appointment with the dentist, there’s no reason to wait. Schedule an examination with Dr. Young and our team to start your good oral health practices. Contact our team by phone (call or text), or book your appointment online today.