Tag Archives: bad breath

How To Kick Bad Breath!

October 20, 2016blogbad breath, dentist, downtown dentist, Gum Disease, halitosis, Healthy Teeth, heart health month, minneapolis dentist, minnesota dentist, nicollet station dental, Prevent Gum Disease, tonguealisha

rid-bad-breath Have you ever worried that you might have bad breath? Bad breath (also known as halitosis) is a condition that most of the time can be taken care of. It can result from poor dental health habits and can be made worse by the certain types of foods you eat and possibly other unhealthy lifestyle habits.

What Causes Bad Breath?

Poor oral health – If you skip brushing and flossing teeth daily, food particles can stay in your mouth, fostering bacterial growth between teeth, around the gums, and on the tongue. This bacteria can cause major bad breath.

Alcohol – Our bodies consider alcohol as a toxin. Alcohol is converted into an acetic acid, which causes bad breath in addition to tooth decay.

Tobacco products – The strong smell of the smoke left behind from cigarettes or cigars can linger in your mouth causing halitosis.

Coffee – Not only can coffee stain your teeth, it can leave a stench in your mouth that is hard to get rid of.

Lack of H2O – When your mouth gets dry harmful bacteria can begin to grow. This can result in bad breath but also in tooth decay.

Garlic and onions – Garlic and onions both contain the compound allyl methyl sulfide. This compound is known to cause bad breath so try to reduce the consumption of foods that have these ingredients.

Medications – Some medications can cause bad breath, especially drugs that dry out your mouth.
So how can you fix bad breath?
-Brush your teeth and floss daily
-Avoid using tobacco products and limit alcohol consumption
-Avoid drinking coffee when possible
-Drink plenty of water
-Limit the consumption of foods that contain garlic and onion
-Replace your toothbrush
-Visit your dentist regularly

Hopefully, this helps! If you have any questions or concerns around your breath, always feel free to reach out and ask for our help!

What Your Tongue Can Tell You

July 16, 2016Uncategorizedbad breath, dentist, downtown dentist, halitosis, heart health month, minneapolis dentist, minnesota dentist, nicollet station dental, tonguealisha

tongue Your tongue can reveal surprising secrets about your health. Without proper dental care, your tongue can develop some conditions that can eventually lead to health problems down the line. Check out these common tongue-related health conditions to see if your mouth might hold the secret to what’s bothering you.

Strawberry Tongue
A glossy, bright red tongue may be a sign your body is lacking iron or B12. This can be more common for vegetarians, as B12 is found in meat.

White-Colored Tongue
If your tongue seems to have a white coating of some kind, it could mean you have a yeast infection, commonly called oral thrush, inside your mouth. Your tongue may look similar to cottage cheese. Typical in young children, thrush also affects people with autoimmune diseases, people with diabetes that isn’t well controlled, chemotherapy patients, and the elderly.

Bald Tongue
Our tongues are covered in papillae. These are small bumps are essentially your tastebuds that cover your tongue. Occasionally these can die and shed off leaving the tongue slick and smooth. The cause of this condition is usually a vitamin deficiency or possibly anemia.

“Geographic” Tongue
A very normal, common condition, “geographic tongue” refers to a tongue that looks like bumpy terrain. Typically harmless, geographic tongue affects between 1 and 14 percent of the U.S. population. Geographic tongue typically requires no treatment or checkup and the cause of this condition is unknown, but it has been associated with diabetes, anemia, atopy, and stress. If it does not go away on it’s own or becomes painful talking to your doctor is necessary.

Dark Fuzz
If dark hair of fuzz develops on your tongue it is likely caused by the overgrowth of papillae. This can be triggered by poor oral hygiene such as drinking, smoking, or lack of daily care causing bacteria to grow at an alarming rate. Although not a major health risk, it could turn into one if it’s not addressed.

Wrinkles/Cracks
If you notice more wrinkles and cracks on your tongue as you get older, that’s normal. Yes, even our tongues show signs of aging. While cracks are typically harmless, you always need to be careful to keep your tongue and mouth clean.

Persistent Red Lesions
Red lesions or patches that don’t go away could be serious and possibly a sign of tongue cancer. Get it checked immediately.

If you are concerned or notice any of these symptoms please talk with us. We are here to help and point you in the right direction for treatment!

Preventing Bad Breath

June 22, 2016blogbad breath, dentist, downtown dentist, Gum Disease, halitosis, minneapolis dentist, minnesota dentist, nicollet station dental, Prevent Gum Diseasealisha

Bad breath, also known as halitosis, is a common problem. In fact, an estimated 65% of Americans have bad breath. So what causes bad breath? Bad breath can be caused by food trapped in the mouth, poor dental hygiene, dry mouth, mouth infections or possible health problems.

So how can you combat bad breath?
1) Brush and floss daily. Plaque stuck on the teeth can trap bacteria left behind by food. Brushing and flossing daily can help remove this bacteria.
2) Use a mouth rinse. A mouthwash can be an extra step in helping remove bacteria, but make sure you use a rinse that kills germs stopping bad breath at its source.
3) Scrap your tongue. A tongue scraper can help remove residue that may be building up between the taste buds and folds into the tongue.
4) Avoid certain foods. Garlic and onions are big offenders. That’s because the sulfur compounds in garlic and onions linger in your mouth and are absorbed into the bloodstream and expelled when you exhale. Try to avoid these before social situations.
5) Avoid tobacco products. Tobacco tends to dry out your mouth and can leave an unpleasant smell that lingers even after brushing your teeth. Smoking can also damage your gums, stain your teeth and cause cancer.
6) Drink plenty of water. This can help avoid dry mouth and also wash away food particles and bacteria, the primary cause of bad breath. If you suffer from chronic dry mouth, make sure you talk with us at your next appointment. We can help discuss options to combat this disorder.
7) Keep your gums healthy. Bacteria gather in pockets at the base of teeth, which creates an odor.
8) Visit your dentist! The best way to make sure that you are maintaining good oral hygiene is to visit your dentist regularly.

If you suffer from chronic bad breath, let us know. We can help diagnose the situation and let you know if your bad breath might be a side effect from a medical condition.