Los Gatos Dentist Explains Causes of Bad Breath

When one of my patients comes in asking which mouthwash I would recommend to cure bad breath, I often surprise them by answering, “None of them.” The reason is that mouthwash is just a temporary mask and should not be considered a “cure” for bad breath. In fact, the best-selling mouthwashes have a significant amount of alcohol, which can help cause bad breath by drying out the mouth.

Millions of people suffer from chronic halitosis, or bad breath. It may be caused by digestive or other medical conditions, but for the majority of people it originates from the gums and tongue. The odor is caused bacteria in the mouth, the decay of food particles, other debris in your mouth and poor oral hygiene.

The only way to eliminate bad breath is to find the cause. The first place to start is with a diligent routine of proper oral hygiene to get rid of hidden bacteria multiplying between your teeth. It’s also important to remember that those bacteria are also a breeding ground for infection and periodontal disease. The team at our Los Gatos, CA Dentist Office can show you how to maintain proper at-home oral hygiene. But here are some general tips:

Brush for at least three minutes. There is a lot of area to cover on multiple planes so the most effective cleaning is achieved by brushing every reachable surface of every tooth.
Floss carefully around each and every tooth, pulling the floss down into the space at the gumline on both sides.
Brush your gums, sides of mouth, palate, and tongue, also. You may also want to consider the use of a tongue scraper, a cleaning tool that scrapes bacteria and food particles off the surface of the tongue.

Jump-start your oral hygiene program by scheduling a cleaning at Los Gatos Dental. We will be happy to give you pointers on brushing techniques as well as which cleaning products may be most appropriate for you.