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Dental Health and Food: Learning to Eat Better

My intense love for candy, cakes, and everything in between started as a child. I simply couldn't go one day without something sweet to eat. But my love for all things sweet took a toll on my teeth. My dentist diagnosed me with seven cavities, each one a different size and depth. After sitting through four long dental appointments, I decided to make a change. I now monitor my diet and only eat things that benefit my oral health. I'm here to help you take better care of your teeth. My blog offers tips on how to improve your diet, maintain good oral hygiene, and many other topics. Hopefully, you can learn to overcome your bad habits just as I did. Good luck with your future dental health.

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Dental Health and Food: Learning to Eat Better

Tips For Dealing With Persistent Bad Breath Issues

by Eric Bailey

One of the most embarrassing oral health issues you can struggle with is bad breath. In most cases, bad breath is merely a symptom of another, more serious health problem. If you've been suffering from bad breath issues, the key to resolving it is to narrow down the underlying root cause. Here are some of the things that can contribute to bad breath to help you determine what's causing your problems and treat them at the source.

Hygiene Problems

If you fail to brush your teeth on a regular schedule or you're skipping your routine dental appointments, that can lead to persistent bad breath problems. This type of hygiene behavior leaves food particles behind that can cause bad breath. In addition to the problems with your breath, this kind of problem can also lead to gum disease, swollen gums and tooth discoloration.

Health Issues

If you've been diagnosed with an oral infection, periodontal disease or something similar, you'll find that it can affect your breath. The same can happen with respiratory infections, sinusitis and similar illnesses.

An infection in the mouth can lead to bleeding, red gums and the potential for abscesses in your gums and teeth. These problems can also lead to problems with loose teeth, fever, sore throat and similar symptoms.

Persistent Dry Mouth

Dry mouth can be a bothersome, persistent condition sometimes caused by salivary gland problems, health conditions or even medication. Dry mouth can allow bacteria to thrive in your mouth, which causes foul odors. You might even find that you have trouble eating dry foods or having prolonged conversations.

Diagnosis Options

If you have any reason to believe that your bad breath could be caused by any of these problems, the first thing you should do is to reach out to your dentist or oral health professional. He or she will conduct a complete physical examination to confirm the cause of your problem. It's important to work with a dentist, because there are other subtle changes that your dentist might notice that indicate other problems.

For instance, a person with diabetes who has persistently high blood sugar may end up with fruity tones to their breath. A dentist can spot that smell quickly and may suggest that you seek diagnosis and treatment sooner than you otherwise would. In addition, odors similar to ammonia may mean that you're experiencing kidney problems.

Your dentist will inquire about your medications, existing health conditions and any other concerns that you might have. If your dentist suspects any signs of health problems, he or she will advise that you talk with your primary care provider.

Treatment Choices

Treatment options can vary widely, just as the causes can. Once you've determined the underlying cause of your bad breath, combating it starts with treating that source. If your problems are related to a medical condition, treating it can eliminate the bad breath. For issues related to lifestyle, diet or other problems, eliminating the offending habit or practice is important.

Sometimes, your dentist may advise that you start regularly using a prescription mouth rinse designed to help stimulate saliva production. This will help you combat the bacteria growth and odors that come along. In extreme cases, you might even be prescribed specific toothpaste and other oral care products designed to help you eliminate dry mouth symptoms to keep bad breath at bay.

For some people, recognizing bad breath is the first and most difficult step. From there, following tips like these may help you to combat the symptoms. You don't have to suffer with the discomfort of dry mouth symptoms when there are easy ways to treat the conditions that are causing the problem. Talk with your dentist today, or visit websites like http://tlcdentalohio.com, about how to deal with problems like these.

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