Having bad breath can be an uncomfortable situation for both yourself and those around you. Our Oral Health Therapists at Kensington Dental Care are here to support your health and bad breath concerns by offering practical and honest tips about reducing any unpleasant oral odours.
Don’t feel resigned to having bad breath, resort to avoiding public engagements, or trialling ineffective bad breath home remedies. We have a bad breath dental treatment for you that will fight the unpleasant smell, including professional cleaning and suggestions about lifestyle changes.
Poor diet, incorrect oral hygiene technique and irregular dental check-ups can all contribute to nasty oral odours, and the solution can be different for everyone.
For some people, bad breath is still noticeable immediately after brushing and flossing. This often results from a build-up of bacteria on the teeth and gums that brushing alone won’t remove. It may seem like a childhood basic, but lots of people have an incorrect technique or rush the tooth cleaning process.
If your gums bleed and your breath is offensive, it’s likely you have gum disease or unhealthy gums that need professional treatment as soon as possible. The two most common forms of gum disease are gingivitis and periodontitis, caused by the accumulation of dental plaque on teeth which creates a breeding ground for bacteria.
Gingivitis is the early stage of the more serious condition known as periodontal disease and is evident by inflamed, red, stolen or bleeding gums. Periodontal disease results from chronic inflammation and infections of the gums and bone surrounding and supporting the teeth. Improved at-home brushing alone will not reverse existing gum disease.
Proper dental hygiene doesn’t result simply from brushing twice a day. It’s necessary to exercise several healthy dental habits to avoid bad breath, such as using dental floss, drinking enough water throughout the day to release trapped food, and visiting the dentist regularly.
If you do all of these things and still have an unpleasant odour, consider other lifestyle habits like the use of tobacco-based products, excessive sugar consumption, or not properly cleaning dentures or other dental wearables.
Brush for 2-3 minutes to remove any build-up of plaque and food particles on the faces and in the gaps of your teeth. But don’t brush too hard, or you’ll wear down the tooth enamel!
If you can, try to brush and floss after eating sugary sweets, and if you can’t, then flush your teeth with water and keep your mouth moist.
Don’t forget your tongue! Gently brush with your toothbrush or a tongue scraper to fight bad breath.
Remove any food particles trapped between your teeth that your toothbrush can’t reach. If you are concerned about the spacing or overlapping of your teeth, let our team know.
Adults should be consuming at least 2 litres of water daily to avoid a dry mouth and wash away food particles and bacteria.
Tobacco dries out the mouth, leaving an unpleasant lingering odour; what a great reason to quit!
Schedule regular check-ups at our bad breath clinic at Kensington Dental Care. Contact us here for an appointment if bad breath persists.
Our services are provided as a preferred partner of Bupa and HCF health funds.
We also accept all other health funds including Department of Veteran Affairs (DVA).