Got bad breath?

Q: What is the best way to get rid of bad breath?

A: Bad breathe comes from a number of sources. Of course, the obvious would be a lack of good oral hygiene practices. But brushing your teeth twice daily isn’t enough. Chronic bad breath which originates in the mouth typically comes from bacteria that most everybody already has. The worst of them can’t live in the presence of oxygen and produce smelly sulfer—containing compounds. Old fillings, ill-fitting crowns, underneath bridges, and in deep ridges on your tongue are common places that get very little oxygen and can house these types of bacteria. A common complaint from patients is that they experience worse bad breath an hour or so after using an alcohol based mouthwash. This is because the alcohol kills all the “good” bacteria on the surface and can’t get “bad” bacteria down deep. Once the minty flavor wears off about an hour later, these sulfer compounds resurface in greater concentration than before you rinsed. Some good habits would include cleaning your tongue daily with your tongue scraper, flossing between teeth and under gums, keeping plague and tartar off your teeth with routine professional cleanings, and replacing old dental work. Recent findings also show that patients that frequently chew gum containing Zylotol experience less bad breath and even reduce the spread of bad breath. yes, it’s true, you can spread bad breath.