Oral Care Recommendations From Your Fort Collins Dentists The Fort Collins dentists at Shores Family Dentistry deal with a lot of issues when it comes to oral health and its maintenance; from toothache to extraction and from gingivitis to halitosis. One of the pressing and most sensitive issues when it comes to oral health is halitosis, or more commonly known for its lay term bad breath. So how do our Fort Collins dentists deal with this sensitive issue? Here are some things you need to know when it comes to this pressing issue.

The Oral Cavity

We understand the need for proper health education for this matter, and so it’s appropriate that all Fort Collins dentists shed light on how one acquires halitosis by studying the structures involved in it; the oral cavity. The oral cavity, or our mouth, is the first structure to receive food, with this function; the oral cavity serves an important role in digestion. The structure inside the mouth, the teeth are involved in a process called mastication, where food is crushed and ground into pieces to facilitate ease in digestion and absorption in the latter part of the alimentary canal. The oral cavity is also composed of salivary glands, which produce and secrete saliva making the mouth moist. These salivary glands also take part in the earlier stages of digestion; these glands in the oral cavity secrete certain amounts of amylase, an enzyme that breaks down the starch that we eat from our food sources. The proper care and treatment within the oral cavity can be learned well when you pay a visit to Shores Family Dentistry, your Fort Collins dentists.

Halitosis and Food

Halitosis is the medical term for bad breath; this condition is also called stomatodysodia, ozostomia, or fetor oris. As Fort Collins dentists, we understand that halitosis is a common oral problem among the populations worldwide, and it is described to be an unpleasant problem. One of the causes attributed to this condition is food. Certain foods give out strong smells when they are eaten, most popular among them is onion and garlic. These foods contain sulfur compounds, which when eaten, is released and gives that odorous smell. These sulfur compounds found in garlic and onions are called Mercaptans. Still on the same light, certain foods do not contain these sulfur compounds, however their ingestion can cause proliferation of bacteria that produce and release sulfur.

Among these are foods or drinks which has a drying effect. Alcohol belongs to this category. Alcohol possesses a property called desiccation, this property dries out anything that comes in contact with it, and this worsens bad breath. So if we tell you to drink in moderation, you might as well give it a second thought. Dense protein foods such as red meat and fish can also contribute to developing halitosis or bad breath. This is through the action of anaerobic bacteria in the mouth which converts the amino acids found in the protein into volatile sulfur compounds releasing an unpleasant odor. This is why strong and healthy dental hygiene is suggested and given by all highly qualified Fort Collins Dentists. Sugars can also predispose you to having a bad breath.

Simple sugars in candies and chocolates can serve as a food source for microorganisms, when they have this food source, the more they grow and proliferate. Thus, creating more sulfur compounds in the oral cavity. Aside from that, too much sugar intake can cause the production of glycan strands. These glycan strands can be deposited on the gums and on the enamel of your teeth, a phenomenon we call plaque formation and deposition. When this happens, bacteria proliferates more on these areas, and the toxins they release cause tooth decay and gum problems. This explains why we will always caution you when it comes to consuming a large amount of sweets and desserts.

Time to Take on That Bad Breath

Bad breath is an unwanted and a sensitive issue among people, those who have the condition do not even have full awareness that they have it and if they are aware, the embarrassment is already there. So to deal with this issue, here are some suggestions from the Fort Collins dentists at Shores Family Dentistry:

Oral Hygiene

We must not forget the basics, oral hygiene still remains to be the effective way to manage halitosis. As discussed previously, this problem is mainly attributed to food particles that remain in the mouth. Unless the condition has more serious underlying causes. Brushing your teeth and using a mouthwash after eating is one simple suggestion we can recommend to you.

Flossing

Another advice from your Fort Collins dentists is flossing. Flossing at least once a day will remove food particles in areas that cannot be reached by brushing. Decaying food in areas or niches between the gums and the teeth not removed by brushing is one cause of bad breath. So follow this advice closely when we recommend to floss at least one time per day.

Brushing Your Tongue

Aside from brushing your teeth, we also advise you to brush your tongue. According to our Fort Collins dentists, brushing your tongue eradicates the bacteria that might be responsible for halitosis. Most of these bacteria are located in the tongue. Most dentists will tell you to particularly brush the back of the tongue. You can also use tongue scrapes available at pharmacies for a more effective result.

Our Fort Collins Dentists at Shores Family Dentistry Want You to Keep Your Mouth Moist

Drinking water keeps your mouth moist, and your body hydrated. The majority of dentists will advice you to do this since a dry mouth can predispose you to developing bad breath. When the mouth is dry, when there is lack of saliva, and when saliva is insufficient there would be nothing to wash away the dead cells inside the oral cavity. Drinking water helps stimulate the gland to produce saliva. If you do not have water readily available, our dentists advice you to chew sugarless gum or to suck on a sugarless hard candy / mint. This also stimulates the production of saliva.

Avoid Foods Causing Bad Breath

Shores Family Dentistry’s Fort Collins dentists would also simply advice you to avoid foods causing strong odors such as garlic and onion. Or at least consume them in moderation if halitosis is an issue you are facing.

Proper Denture Hygiene

For those using dentures, we would advise you to clean them on a daily basis. Dentures can also harbor food particles and bacteria, so it is but important to clean them daily to eradicate these sources of halitosis.

Come in and See Us

The causes of halitosis can go way beyond the food and the hygienic measures that you employ. If the condition is persistent and cannot seem to be managed by simple interventions, then you must go for a consultation with your dental practitioner. Let your our staff at Shores Family Dentistry asses your situation further because halitosis can also be caused by other conditions such as an infection, an abscessed tooth, periodontal diseases, post nasal drip, chronic bronchitis, chronic sinusitis and esophageal problems. In these conditions, you will need the expert advice of your friendly Fort Collins dentists.