Dr. MacKnight's Cosmetic and Family Dentistry

Do you ever wonder why, even though you thoroughly floss and brush your teeth before you go to bed and have a clean fresh mouth, you still wake up the next morning with the dreaded "morning breath"? What causes this unpleasant taste and odor? The answer is that during waking hours, your saliva flows, washing away bacteria, plaque, and food particles containing volatile sulfur compounds in and around your teeth, gums, and tongue. Bacterial decomposition and sulfur generating foods such as garlic, cabbage and other foods can cause bad breath (Halitosis). When you are sleeping, your saliva production is markedly reduced. Also many people snore or mouth breath in their sleep, resulting in a dry mouth. This concentrates the odor causing materials in your mouth. Acids resulting from the breakdown of sugars and starches attack the enamel of your teeth and cause tooth decay, which also causes an odor. In addition, certain diets (especially Atkins- type diets) that release ketones into your bloodstream and certain medical conditions can contribute to bad breath. Tooth decay, gum disease, sinus infections, liver or gastrointestinal disease, as well as lung and kidney problems have all been associated with causing halitosis. The good news is most bad breath can be controlled by using the following steps:

Floss,Floss, Floss!—Flossing daily can remove a lot of trapped odor causing bacteria and food particles between your teeth. Try this: Floss between two back teeth, remove the floss and smell it. Are you a believer now?
Brush your teeth after every meal, or AT LEAST when you wake up and when you go to bed. We have available Oxyfresh brand toothpaste and mouth wash which are very effective in breaking down and eliminating the offensive sulfur compounds in your diet.
Brush your tongue - Up to 50% of bacteria in the mouth are concentrated on the tongue. We sell inexpensive Oxyfresh tongue scrapers. Try scraping your tongue and you will be amazed at what comes off of it!
Get regular cleanings and dental checkups. Tooth decay and gum disease cause a very offensive mouth odors and need to be professionally treated.
Drink plenty of water - eight glasses per day. And keep your mouth moist. Sugar free mints and gum can help people with dry mouths. Make sure the mints or gum are truly sugar free and do not contain sugar, sucrose, fructose, corn starch, or corn syrup which contribute to tooth decay and make the situation worse.
Avoid excessive mouth washes that contain alcohol. These products only dry out the tissues and cause more bad breath. There are several good brands of alcohol free mouth washes available over the counter in most stores.

If despite these measures bad breath persists, consult you medical doctor to rule out a systemic condition or disease contributing to the bad breath. By following these easy steps, you can sweeten your breath, be healthier, and socially interact with more confidence!