Bad Breath

Bad Breath and Periodontal Disease

Chronic bad breath (halitosis) can affect everything from your professional to your personal life. It’s embarrassing and most people feel too self-conscious to ask their dentist for help. Although it’s a sensitive topic, your dental team is one of the best resources for effectively treating bad breath symptoms.

Where Does Bad Breath Come From?

In the majority of halitosis cases, the bacteria causing the bad breath are located on the tongue. Multiple case studies over the last several years have shown that anywhere between 65-90% of bad breath bacteria are nestled within the bumpy tongue surface (papilla). Daily tongue cleaning is highly recommended.
But what about the remaining odorous bacteria? When cleaning your tongue doesn’t help, it’s likely that the smell is coming from plaque and necrotic (dying and infected) tissues down inside of your gum “pockets”.  In other words, the odor is due to active periodontal disease.

When Mints, Gums, and Rinses Don’t Work

Breath mints, gums, and rinses only reach so far. Although they may target odor-causing bacteria caused by food debris or buildup on your tongue, they cannot reach deep inside of periodontal pockets, where tartar and dying gum tissues are causing the smell. Some types of products — such as rinses containing alcohol or sweetened mints/gums — may actually make your halitosis worse by altering the natural flora in your mouth.

Treating Bad Breath at Its Source

Working with your dentist to remove dental plaque and tartar can significantly reduce active bacterial levels, directly affecting the severity of your halitosis. As the diseased tissues inside of your gum pockets begin to heal, the necrotic smell that’s associated with the infection will begin to diminish.
If you have visible symptoms of gum disease, periodontal therapy with your dentist may be the only thing standing in the way of enjoying fresher breath.