Everybody gets bad breath at times. But for people with chronic bad breath, it can indicate something more serious, like gum disease or a tooth infection. Brian C. McDowell, DDS can help treat the underlying causes of bad breath so you can enjoy fresh breath and a clean taste in your mouth.
If you are looking to treat chronic bad breath in Fitchburg, call our dentist, Dr. Brian McDowell at call
(978) 252-2049. Schedule regular dental exam and teeth cleaning appointments to help prevent causes of bad breath.
What Causes Bad Breath?
It’s important to distinguish between short-term lousy breath and chronic bad breath. Short-term bad breath occurs because of food residue in your mouth releasing scent molecules or decomposing. This odor can worsen if you are dehydrated because you’re not drinking water, too much coffee, or alcohol. Just brushing, flossing, and rinsing your mouth should be enough to handle your bad breath. But Don’t forget to brush your tongue, and don’t use mouthwash with alcohol. It can dry your mouth, leading to more bad breath even if it conceals the smell for a while.
Conversely, Chronic bad breath may be a sign of something more serious. Causes include:
- Acid reflux
- Gum disease
- Infected tooth
- Tonsil stones
- Retained food
- Dry mouth
- Medications and diet
- Sleep apnea (mainly linked to morning bad breath)
Oral Bacteria & Bad Breath
The most common reason Fitchburg patients have chronic bad breath is bacteria buildup. Some oral bacteria “breathe” oxygen as we do, and they produce odorless waste gasses. Others use sulfur, which give off waste gasses that have a robust and rotten smell. The bacteria that use sulfur like to gather in areas where they are sheltered from oxygen. These regions include the spaces between your teeth, the area between your gumline and teeth, the core of an infected tooth, and the interior of tonsil stones.
Tonsil stones are gatherings of bacteria and food residue in your tonsils. They occur when you have many bacteria in your mouth.
Food Stuck Between Teeth
Sometimes food debris gets stuck in your teeth. When this occurs, the odor from rotting food can cause bad breath. If your food regularly gets stuck in your mouth, it could be because of crooked teeth or tooth gaps that are likely to trap food.
If you have
gum disease or cavities, food can get trapped between your teeth and gums. Our Fitchburg dentist, Dr. Brian McDowell will examine where food gets trapped in your mouth and discuss a treatment plan that may include gum disease treatment, tooth fillings, or Invisalign.
Dry Mouth & Medications
One crucial step to try to control the bad breath is staying hydrated. Suppose you are getting enough water, but your body isn’t producing enough saliva. In that case, our dentist at
Brian C. McDowell, DDS, will recommend saliva replacements that help your mouth remain wet and hydrated. Unfortunately, a dry mouth also is a side effect of some medications. So, if you experience chronic dry mouth and are not dehydrated, check to see if it’s related to your prescriptions.
Schedule A Consult For Bad Breath Solution
Call our Fitchburg dentist at
(978) 252-2049 to schedule an appointment to discuss the causes of bad breath and a treatment plan. Our dentist has over 30 years of experience treating bad breath for patients from Fitchburg, Leominster, Westminster, Gardner, MA and other many surrounding areas.
