Breath is also a Part of a Beautiful Smile

When you think of seeing your dentist in Scottsdale, you do so for one of a few reasons. First and foremost, it is wise to remember the value of seeing the dentist twice a year for routine care. Secondary to that, and far too common, is the urgent dental visit scheduled to resolve a painful problem. Finally, more people are scheduling dental visits to discuss ways that they can bring new life into the smile with cosmetic dentistry. It is rare for a person to call our office because they want to talk about their breath.

Bad breath, aka halitosis, is a problem that can quickly override any beauty that there is to see in the smile. People are met not only with a visual representation of you, but also a physical representation. When you smile and speak to others, you want to do so with confidence, knowing that a wall of odor will not create separation (and embarrassment). Here, we point out a few of the common reasons that bad breath could become a problem.

Oral hygiene is one of the primary factors related to the breath. Brushing is not sufficient to avoid halitosis. Flossing is also a must. Furthermore, because it has been indicated that bacteria and their waste tend to accumulate on the back of the tongue, cleaning, or scraping, is also necessary. Scraping goes beyond what is possible by running the toothbrush along the tongue. That habit may, in fact, simply displace bacteria from the tongue to the tool you use to clean your teeth.
Dry mouth can lead to bad breath. Sometimes, the mouth becomes dry because we just don’t consume enough water. Water consumption is not a once-and-done action that you do only morning or night. Sipping offers the greatest advantage against bad breath and the decline of oral health in general. If sipping does not improve the moisture of the mouth, talk with your dentist about dry mouth treatment.
Dentures that are not sufficiently clean or do not fit properly create prime conditions for halitosis. Bacteria can collect underneath the fixture, so careful cleaning is necessary. Also necessary are periodic relining visits to keep dentures fitted to the gums.

We love helping our patients love their smiles. Call (480) 657-6981 for friendly dental care.