If you have one or more missing teeth then you may well have considered having dental implant in Kent. These are a great way to replace teeth, but traditional dental implants to require you to be in good oral and general health. This is something that can be determined by Dr Rik Trivedi or another of our dentists during an initial consultation at our Parrock Street surgery. Perhaps you think you are in good oral health, or maybe you’re aware that something might be wrong. One of the symptoms of oral disease is having bad breath, or to give it its proper name halitosis.
What Causes Bad Breath?
Bad breath can sometimes be down to lifestyle habits, even if you have excellent oral hygiene and good dental health. If you’re fond of certain foods in particular onion or garlic, then every time you eat these foods they are digested and absorbed into the bloodstream. Eventually the odours will be carried to your lungs and expelled through your breath. In this case there is nothing that can be done as you simply have to wait for the food to be expelled from your body.
Halitosis is often caused by poor oral hygiene or can be due to having dental health problems, and in this case it does need investigation and quite possibly treatment. If you fail to brush your teeth twice a day and to floss once a day, then the particles of food will remain on and in between your teeth and on your gums, promoting the growth of bacteria. This can lead to bad breath, as can having dentures that aren’t cleaned frequently enough.
Dental Problems Associated with Bad Breath
Allowing bacteria to build up in your mouth increases the risk of gum disease as this is caused by the build-up of plaque on the teeth. These plaque bacteria create toxins that irritate the gums, and the reaction of your body is to try to fight this irritation through producing antibodies, resulting in inflammation. If the disease is not treated then it can cause permanent damage to your gums, and can even result in the destruction of your jawbone. Gum disease is one of the major reasons why teeth are lost, necessitating their replacement with dental implants.
Other causes of bad breath include having untreated tooth decay, or having poorly fitting dental appliances that may be rubbing on the gums increasing the risk of infection. There’s also a medical condition that can cause bad breath which is called xerostomia or dry mouth, where insufficient saliva is produced to keep the mouth clean.
If you think your breath may be offensive to others then it’s worth making an appointment for a check-up, especially if you are thinking about having dental implants. Just give us a call on 01474 537191 or you can request a call back through filling in the inquiry form on our website at www.parrockdental.co.uk