Are you suffering with bad breath?

Anyone can be affected by bad breath, also known as halitosis. It can be embarrassing but the good news is that it's usually treatable!

Don't ignore bad breath

There are many possible causes of bad breath. Among them are tooth decay, periodontal (gum) disease, dry mouth (xerostemia), tobacco use, certain foods and illness. It can also be a side effect of some types of medications. Sometimes bad breath is a symptom of a more serious condition such as diabetes, sinusitis or a liver ailment.

Where does bad breath come from?

Bad breath usually begins when bacteria breaks down food debris in your mouth. The bacteria that cause bad breath require an oxygen-free environment to survive, so they are usually found between your teeth and within the grooves of your tongue. As the bacteria break down the food debris they release volatile sulfur compounds. These compounds produce the bad breath.

How to avoid bad breath

The key to avoiding bad breath is eliminating it at its source. The first thing you can do is to come see us for a professional cleaning so that we can thoroughly remove the plaque and tartar where odor-causing bacteria thrive. We will show you how to brush and floss properly, and we can also provide you with a tongue scraper and special antibacterial rinse if necessary.

New research published in the July issue of the Journal of American Dental Association found that redheads are more sensitive to pain and therefore may have more anxiety at the dentist's office. The study found that redheaded people are twice as likely to avoid dental care than brunettes. A 2005 study said that redheads are more resistant to local anesthesia and they have a lower threshold for pain. Researchers believe that variations in the MC1R gene, the one that produces melanin (gives us our skin, hair and eye color), may play a part. Although brunettes, blondes and black-haired people also produce melanin, people with red hair have a mutation of this receptor, which produces the freckles, fair skin, red hair and.....perhaps pain! After Dr. Daniel Sessler and his colleagues published their study on redheads and their pain susceptibility, they received almost 100 emails from redheads around the world who complained of their painful experiences at the dentist. It appears that redheads might need more anesthesia in order to be comfortable while receiving dental care. If you have red hair, you might want to ask your dentist about this amazing new finding....and then you might see how painless dental work can really be!