What is Halitosis?

Most people experience bad breath from time to time. It’s one of those things that you may check throughout the day, popping in a piece of gum or mint to prevent lunch from interfering with your social life. When the foul odor from your mouth becomes far too common or you struggle to get rid of it even with excellent oral hygiene, you may need treatment for halitosis in Los Angeles, Beverly Hills, Carthay, South Carthy, Miracle Mile, Hancock Park, Santa Monica, or Brentwood, California. That’s where Dr. Suzanne Haeri can help from her practice, Suzanne Haeri Cosmetic & General Dentistry.

What is Halitosis?

Halitosis is the medical term for bad breath, especially when that offensive odor is a common occurrence. It’s often a symptom of an underlying problem and requires attention from a dental professional.

Potential Causes of Bad Breath

Occasional halitosis is often caused by foods with strong odors like onions or garlic. When it becomes a routine occurrence and starts to interfere with your professional or social life, it’s time to check for some of these other potential causes:

• Poor oral hygiene


• Unclean dentures


• Dry mouth


• Diabetes


• Bacteria accumulation on the tongue


• Respiratory infection, bronchitis, or other illnesses


• Periodontal disease


• Tobacco and drug use


• Gastrointestinal disorders


• Liver disorders


• Kidney disorders

Periodontal disease is one of the most common causes of chronic bad breath in Los Angeles, CA, as well as other areas of the country. If you notice bleeding, red, or swollen gums, you should have your teeth and gums inspected by a dentist as soon as possible. The faster you treat periodontal disease, the less likely you are to lose teeth.  

Ready to Get Rid of Halitosis in Los Angeles, CA?

The first step to remedying bad breath is to double-check your daily dental care routine. If you’re already brushing your teeth twice a day, try keeping a toothbrush with you so that you can brush after every meal. Make sure you’re brushing your tongue as well as your teeth and are flossing daily. If you have dentures, thorough and routine cleaning is essential to eliminate foul odors.

You may also combat bad breath by drinking plenty of water and avoiding foods like onions. If those simple strategies don’t work, you may have a more serious dental condition that requires professional attention.

Scheduling an appointment with Dr. Haeri at Suzanne Haeri Cosmetic & General Dentistry is the best way to determine the cause and best treatment for halitosis in the Los Angeles, CA, area. Contact our team of compassionate professionals at (310) 657-2200 or (310) 854-0600 today.

Halitosis

We specialize in cosmetic dental care at the South Carthay office of Dr. Suzanne Haeri. Maintaining a smile that you're proud of isn’t just a function of how it looks, but also of how it smells. We’ve all had moments when we suddenly realized that something we’d eaten was causing us to have bad breath. But what about halitosis, the chronic, lingering unpleasant smell that sometimes seems to come from our mouths for days on end? This week, we’ll take a closer look at the reasons for halitosis, and what can be done about it.

 

Halitosis can generally be traced to oral pathogens. Certain species of bacteria produce an odor when they metabolize food debris left over in the mouth. When those bacteria are on the teeth, they may contribute to tooth decay and gum recession, but there are a lot more of them hiding in the bumps on the tongue. They may not do much substantive harm there, but the white coat they form is probably responsible for a patient’s bad breath. People who wear dentures or retainers may also experience outbreaks of fungus, which emit bad odors for similar reasons, and people with nasal infections may experience discharge leaking onto the backs of their tongues.

 

One of the most effective things you can do to eliminate halitosis is to drink more water. Increasing your saliva output won’t just rinse away food particles and bacteria, it will also counteract the effects of acid. Saliva also contains antimicrobial enzymes for additional protection from infection. Scraping your tongue once a day will also remove build-up, and you can use mouthwash to scour the back of it. Following meals, you might also want to try sugar-free gum or candy to stimulate more saliva production and remove a small amount of debris if you can’t use a toothbrush, floss, or scraper right away.

 

The dental office of Suzanne Haeri, DDS, is located at 1100 S La Cienega Blvd, Los Angeles, California, 90035. To schedule an appointment, call 310-657-2200 or visit our website at Suzanne Haeri DDS.

Causes of Bad Breath

If you have persistent bad breath, the problem may be more than something you recently ate. Halitosis is a common symptom of oral health problems. We at Dr. Suzanne Haeri’s South Carthay Dental office want our patients to understand that we can help them, but they need to take bad breath seriously.

Oral bacteria produce a strong odor. They may take refuge in the gum pockets and in the papillae of the tongue, where they will be able to consume food debris and form plaque. People are at greater risk of oral infections when they don’t floss deep between their teeth or scrape their tongues, as well as when they are suffering from dry mouth. Without saliva, it is harder to remove food debris and control the spread of pathogens.

Sometimes, bad breath is related to another issue, such as discharge from a nasal infection landing on the back of the tongue. People with diabetes are at elevated risk for gum infections and may have halitosis if they are going through diabetic ketoacidosis. Acid reflux can also cause dry mouth and leave a lingering odor. In addition to improving their oral hygiene, patients may try drinking more water, using mouthwash, avoiding large meals before bed, and avoiding drinks that are high in sugar and acid. When halitosis is related to a medical condition such as tonsil stones, we can at least rule out the more common causes and help manage symptoms.

Suzanne Haeri, DDS, is located at 1100 S. La Cienega Blvd., Los Angeles, California, 90035. To set up an appointment, call 310-657-2200 or visit Suzanne Haeri DDS and fill out a request.

 

Halitosis Treatment

It is one thing to have bad breath after eating a meal that’s heavy on the onions, but it’s another to suffer from it on a daily basis. Medically defined as halitosis, bad breath affects an estimated 25% of people, globally. If you have bad breath, review your oral hygiene habits, this includes your visits to the dental office. If they are lacking, or non-existent, it may be time to visit Dr. Suzanne, Haeri DDS for a professional cleaning.

Next in line, after tooth decay and gum disease, halitosis (bad breath) is the third most common reason that people seek dental care. It’s important that we stress that you should never wait until these problems arise to see a dentist. Potential causes for bad breath are dry mouth and poor diet, but the biggest is poor oral hygiene habits. In addition to visiting our office twice a year for dental checkups, you should brush your teeth at least twice a day, floss at least once a day, and use American Dental Association (ADA) approved mouth rinse.

If you have questions about how to maintain your oral hygiene routine, give us a call. To learn more about dental hygiene as well as other services we provide, visit www.suzannehaeridds.com for more information. To schedule an appointment with Dr. Suzanne Haeri DDS in Los Angeles, CA, call 310-657-2200.

Childhood Halitosis

 

When children develop chronically bad breath, Dr. Suzanne Haeri and her office staff are here to help. As with adults, halitosis in children is usually due to a hygiene problem, but there are some special considerations to keep in mind.

Wherever food debris can accumulate, bacteria will grow excessively, and excessive bacterial growth is the main cause of bad breath. The tongue is one such location, the tonsils are another. Nasal drip is also food for bacteria, and children tend to get more sinus infections. Young children may also have foreign objects caught in their noses, which triggers nasal drip. Children with dry mouth are at particular risk because they lack saliva to wash food debris away. Dry mouth is commonly caused by mouth breathing and by medications, including some for ADHD.

Although the underlying cause of dry mouth will need to be solved, dentists often help patients find ways to stimulate saliva production. Sugar-free hard candy and gum are some of the most child-friendly methods. It is also possible that a child’s bad breath could be caused by bacteria from a cold sore or from a more serious medical condition, such as diabetes, which is why it is worth consulting with a doctor.

Suzanne Haeri, DDS, is located at 1100 S. La Cienega Blvd., Los Angeles, California, 90035. To set up an appointment, call 310-647-2200 or visit SuzanneHaeriDDS.com and fill out a request.