HALITOSIS
What is halitosis?
It is an offensive odor of the breath, commonly called “bad breath” or oral malodor, caused by local metabolic conditions, poor oral hygiene, and periodontal (gum) disease due to Volatile Sulfur Compounds (VSC).
What causes halitosis?
Bad breath occurs due to a change in the bacteria of the mouth. The change needs to be a chronic change such as that seen with nasal problems, dry mouth, or long-term use of antibiotics and prescription medications. Bacteria accumulate daily and digest proteins. These proteins break down into smelly sulfur compounds that saturate the saliva (causing a bad taste) or evaporate in mouth air (causing bad breath) or evaporate in nasal air (causing nasal smells).
What can we do about halitosis?
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Brush your teeth regularly (preferably using a sonic toothbrush) with Cloysis II toothpaste and/or Colgate Total.
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Floss. Very important to keep your teeth healthy as well as get rid of smelly particles that grow between your teeth.
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Scrape your tongue. Ideally, you should get a tongue scraper and scrape your tongue every day when you brush your teeth. It only takes a few seconds. A smelly tongue is probably one of the most common causes of smelly breath.
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Use the appropriate mouth rinses suggested by your dental professionals. Recommended most are Cloysis II, Biotene, and Crest ProCare.
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See your dental professional based on your individual needs.
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