Bad Breath

Bad breath, halitosis, or mouth odor, is a common problem experienced by just about everyone at some time. Some people are plagued with the problem constantly. Others have it less frequently. Regardless of frequency or severity, mouth odor can be an embarrassing condition.

Oral odors can be generated in many ways. Various foods can contribute to bad breathe. Some of these may just smell bad on their own while others have oils and other components which are absorbed into the bloodstream and excreted through the lungs and oral tissues. Garlic, onions, and alcohol are examples of these odor causers. These odors generally have to just work their way out of the system. If food is not cleaned from between the teeth or from around dentures, it may rot and cause a bad odor. Tobacco products also act in the lungs to produce odors. Tobacco use also aggravates gum disease which is itself a major cause of mouth odors. Dry mouth can contribute to bad breath as well.

Bad breath may be a sign of a sinus infection or other local infection as well as other systemic diseases. Gastrointestinal, kidney, and liver disease all may have bad breath as a side effect. Also note that some medications may also cause mouth odor.

Obviously, finding and eliminating the underlying cause of the problem is the first best step in treatment. There are also many agents available over the counter to help mask oral odors. Your dentist may also prescribe antibacterial treatments Such as Peridex to help fight the root causes of the problem.

Occlusal Disease

As healthcare has improved over the past century, people have been living longer lives. One of the results of this is a population of people over the age of forty or fifty. We are now seeing and dealing with disease processes which were uncommon just a short time ago. The mouth is no exception. Fifty or sixty years ago, gum disease was almost unheard of. Most people of that time lost all their teeth or died long before they could develop gum problems. One condition that many experts see as an epidemic in our society is occlusal or bite disease. Signs of this problem are:

Biting surfaces of teeth worn flat, often with cupping where dentin is exposed.

Multiple chipped, cracked, and broken teeth and crowns(caps)

"divots" or "toothbrush Abrasion at the gumline (abfraction)

Thick bony growth over the tooth roots

Front teeth with even flat edges and teeth that are wider than they are long

deep creases or wrinkles at the corners of the mouth

Loose or shifting teeth



Occlusal disease may not be painful or uncomfortable to the patient. It can be a component of TMJ syndrome and can aggravate any pre-existing gum disease or periodontal problems. Occlusal Disease can also be a factor in cosmetic and esthetic dental problems.

Treatments for occlusal disease range from no treatment at all to full-mouth rehabilitation. Frequently the bite will need to be "opened up" to correct for the wear that has occurred over the years. It's important to find an experienced dentist who can deal with the complexities of bite reconstruction. Simply patching a worn tooth or "just fixing the teeth that show" are recipes for failure.