No one ever wants to talk about having bad breath. It is an embarrassing subject, and most people choose to camouflage the problem with gum or mints. However, chronic bad breath is often a sign of an underlying dental condition. The clinical term for bad breath is halitosis. People who experience unpleasant breath on a regular basis should visit a local dentist for evaluation. There are several different Dental Clinic Services that may help to correct halitosis.
Gum Disease
One of the first signs of gum disease is bad breath. Only a dentist can diagnose this condition. Gum disease happens whenever the gum tissue becomes infected and inflamed. Early stage gum disease is called gingivitis. At this stage, deep cleaning and better dental hygiene may be all that is necessary to reverse the symptoms of gingivitis. However, if a patient is diagnosed with full-blown gum disease, it may be necessary to perform a series of gum scaling procedures to heal the tissue. If gum disease is not treated, tooth loss may occur.
Tooth Decay
Chronic halitosis may also be the result of severe tooth decay. Most people don’t realize they have tooth decay until it is very advanced. Bad breath may originate from the damaged tooth. A dentist will visually examine the tooth and x-rays may also be ordered. If decay is found, the patient will need a dental filling to correct the problem. For severely decayed teeth, a root canal may be ordered.
Dry Mouth
Bad breath is often caused by bacteria. In a healthy mouth, saliva naturally rinses away bacteria. However, many patients come to the dentist complaining of dry mouth. When this happens, it is important to determine the cause of the dry mouth. Certain medications, illnesses, and genetics may be the culprit. While dry mouth is usually a temporary problem, it still needs to be treated. Dentists often prescribe mouthwashes or mouth gels that are designed to provide relief from dry mouth.
In normal circumstances, bad breath only occurs after eating a garlicky meal or during an illness. If the halitosis persists, however, a visit to the dentist is in order. There are many Dental Clinic Services that will treat and cure this embarrassing problem. Visit us learn more about how to practice good dental hygiene to prevent bad breath at home. You can also follow them on Twitter for more updates.
