Gum Disease & Bad Breath
Halitosis
An awkward thing to raise, and one of the more solvable problems we see.
What it is
Persistent bad breath almost always has a findable cause. Mouthwash masks it for twenty minutes, which is why people conclude nothing works.
The large majority originates in the mouth: bacteria on the back of the tongue, gum disease producing sulphur compounds, decay, a leaking filling, or a denture that is not being cleaned as thoroughly as it needs. Each of those is identifiable on examination and each is treatable.
Where the mouth is genuinely healthy, the cause may be dry mouth from medication, sinus or tonsil-related, or occasionally digestive. We will tell you plainly that it is not dental and point you toward the right person rather than treating you anyway.
Included
What this
involves
Everything below is carried out here, by the clinician who planned it. Anything not on this list is either not needed or will be discussed with you before it is booked.
- Systematic search for the source
- Tongue coating assessment
- Gum disease and decay screening
- Dry mouth and medication review
- Tongue cleaning and home-care plan
- Onward referral where it is not dental
Most of what we do here is quiet, preventive and never noticed. That is roughly the point.
Common questions
Good To Know
- Is it just about brushing more?
- Rarely. The back of the tongue and the spaces between teeth are the usual reservoirs, and neither responds much to brushing the teeth harder.
- Will mouthwash fix it?
- It masks it. Some antibacterial rinses genuinely help as part of a plan, but on their own they treat the smell rather than the cause.
- How do I raise it without embarrassment?
- Put it on the form, or say it at the door. It is a clinical complaint like any other and we are glad when people mention it.
More in this area
Gum Disease & Bad Breath
Considering halitosis?
Come in for a consultation. We will examine, explain and give you a written plan with a price against every item — then you decide, in your own time.