Periodontal infections are a common cause of halitosis, or chronic bad breath.
While some odorous bacteria do reside on the tongue, others rest deep inside of the periodontal “pockets” around infected teeth. Unfortunately, most over-the-counter remedies such as breath mints, mouthwash, or tongue scrapers don’t help with this condition.
Bacteria feed on sugars, making mints or gums “worse” for someone who has bad breath. Additionally, rinsing with some types of mouthwash—like those that contain alcohol or other drying agents—can cause the bacteria to flourish even further.
Even though brushing, flossing, rinses, and sugar-free gums can be helpful for mild to moderate bad breath, sometimes the solution needs to reach much deeper to reach the source of the odor.
Aggressive gum disease involves two odor-causing substances: necrotic tissues around the roots of your affected teeth and bacteria. Because each of these issues exists deep below the gums against the surfaces of the tooth roots, rinses or mints don’t help. The true solution depends on therapies that target the periodontal pockets themselves, to remove the calcified bacterial deposits and eliminate dying oral tissues in those spaces.
Seeing a periodontist about your gum disease won’t just help prevent tooth loss, it can also help treat chronic halitosis.
While discussing persistent bad breath may be uncomfortable, your dental specialist is the best expert to see when your halitosis is caused by a chronic oral infection. Addressing the disease will help preserve your smile, not to mention boost your quality of life when it comes to personal relationships.
Treatment for periodontitis will remove the odorous bacteria at the source, immediately helping address your concerns.
Reserve a consultation with your periodontist today to find out if you have gum disease and how they can help.