FOR THE DENTAL PATIENT ...

good oral hygiene. Caring for your mouth will Bad breath help limit food residue and plaque buildup and reduce the risk of developing caries and perio- Causes and tips dontal disease. The American Dental Association recom- for controlling it mends that you brush your teeth twice a day with a fluoride-containing toothpaste and clean ad breath—we’ve all had it at one time between your teeth once a day by using an or another, but our shared experience interdental cleaner such as floss. Brush your doesn’t make it any less embarrassing. tongue, too, to remove bacteria that contribute BIs there anything we can do to keep to oral odors (especially in the back, where most breath odor at bay? Knowing what causes bad of these bacteria are found). If you wear remov- breath can help you reduce the risk. able dentures, take them out at night and brush them BAD BREATH TRIGGERS thoroughly with a denture Halitosis, or bad breath, most often starts in the cleanser before replacing mouth. Poor oral hygiene allows food particles them the next morning. to collect on the surface of the tongue, between When choosing oral care the teeth or along the gingival (gum) tissue that products, look for those that surrounds the teeth. Naturally occurring bac- display the ADA’s Seal of teria in your mouth then break down those food Acceptance, your assurance that they have met particles, releasing chemicals that have a strong ADA criteria for safety and effectiveness. odor. If your problem seems to stem from a dry Saliva helps wash food particles from your mouth, consider chewing sugar-free gum or mouth; thus, people with a dry mouth are at an sucking on sugar-free candies to help stimulate increased risk of experiencing bad breath. Some salivary flow. There also are artificial salivas on medications, mouth breathing and smoking all the market that may help. can contribute to dry mouth. Above all, talk with your dentist about your Infections in the mouth, such as dental caries concerns. A thorough health history, including a (tooth decay), periodontal (gum) disease or list of medications and supplements you are mouth sores related to other conditions may taking, may be helpful in determining whether contribute to bad breath. Surgical wounds (from the cause of your bad breath is localized to the extracted teeth, for example) also can be a mouth or might be a systemic condition, in source of halitosis. which case a physician should be consulted. If The bacterial film called “plaque” that occurs your breath problems stem from an oral cause, naturally in your mouth can build up if not your dentist can work with you to develop a removed regularly through good oral hygiene treatment plan that minimizes odor. This might practices. The bacteria in plaque give off an include scraping the plaque off your tongue, odor that affects your breath. using a special antibacterial mouthrinse or Diet is a common bad breath culprit. Foods both. ■ such as garlic and onions, in particular, can foul your breath. Once your food is digested, chemi- Prepared by the American Dental Association (ADA) Division of cals that cause odor can be absorbed into your Science. Copyright © 2012 American Dental Association. Unlike other portions of JADA, the print version of this page may be clipped bloodstream and from there into your lungs; and photocopied as a handout for patients without reprint permis- these chemicals then are exhaled. Diets high in sion from the ADA Publishing Division. Any other use, copying or distribution of this material, whether in printed or electronic form protein and sugar also have been associated and including the copying and posting of this material on a Web site, with bad breath.1 is strictly prohibited without prior written consent of the ADA Pub- Bad breath can be a byproduct of certain lishing Division. health conditions. It may result from infections “For the Dental Patient” provides general information on dental in the nose, throat or lungs; chronic sinusitis; treatments to dental patients. It is designed to prompt discussion postnasal drip; chronic bronchitis; or distur- between dentist and patient about treatment options and does not 2 substitute for the dentist’s professional assessment based on the bances in your digestive system. individual patient’s needs and desires.

FENDING OFF BAD BREATH 1. Lee PPC, Mak WY, Newsome P. The aetiology and treatment of oral halitosis: an update. Hong Kong Med J 2004;10(6):414-418. Knowing the cause is half the battle in fighting 2. Kinberg S, Stein M, Zion N, Shaoul R. The gastrointestinal bad breath, and the best weapon you have is aspects of halitosis. Can J Gastroenterol 2010;24(9):552-556. JADA 143(9) http://jada.ada.org September 2012 1053 Copyright © 2012 American Dental Association. All rights reserved. Reprinted by permission.