Visit An Alexandria Dentist Office For Better Smelling Breath

In our Alexandria dentist office, we help a lot of patients that struggle with bad breath issues.  While this may seem like the punchline to a joke, for many people bad breath is a persistent problem that can make social interactions quite uncomfortable. In our dental office, we recommend taking steps at home in order to control bad breath and if this doesn't work, schedule a dental exam.

Start by drinking plenty of water.  A lot of people struggle with bad breath issues, especially as they age, due to dry mouth.  This is a common condition that can be addressed by simply drinking plenty of water.  Your mouth should feel moist at all times and if it doesn't, grab your water bottle.  This single step can help your breath to smell better while also reducing your risk of cavities and infection.
Next, brush your teeth three times a day using a soft toothbrush and a fluoride toothpaste.  This will remove the smells caused by the food that you eat while also remove plaque and bacteria that can lead to infections and cavities.  This step, however, is not enough unless you combine it with flossing at least once a day.  Flossing is essential for removing the plaque and food particles that become stuck in between teeth, leading to bad breath.  You should also use a tongue scraper to remove the bacteria and food odor that can become stuck on your tongue, followed up by rinsing with an antiseptic mouthwash.  If you follow this routine and avoid eating a bunch of garlic, your breath should smell fresh.  If not, a trip to our Alexandria dentist office is in order.

Very often, bad breath is a sign of an oral infection or health problem that needs to be addressed.  It is the body's natural warning system.  For example, a tooth infection or severe decay can cause bad breath.  While this may also be accompanied by sensitivity when biting down or eating, an infected tooth will emit a foul-smelling odor that will not go away with tooth brushing alone.  When you schedule a dental exam, we will look for any signs of infection or decay, treat the tooth and restore it.  This way you can continue to eat and speak like normal without fear of discomfort.  Simultaneously, catching an infection early means that we can treat it faster, and you will be spared a sudden toothache.  For this reason, watching for persistent bad breath can provide you with the early detection and treatment that you need.

Other times bad breath is caused by gum disease.  Gingivitis is the first step in this condition, and we prefer to catch and treat gum disease in this stage.  Some common signs of gingivitis are red and swollen gums that bleed when brushing.  This is typically caused by a buildup of plaque and tartar below the gum tissue and by removing it, we can help the gums to become healthy once more.  Otherwise, if the condition is left untreated, it can cause gum recession and further issues like bone loss.  For this reason, we recommend that you schedule a dental exam with our Alexandria dentist office at the first sign of persistent bad breath, red gums, or tooth sensitivity.  After eliminating the infection or built up plaque, your mouth will be healthier, and your breath will be fresher.

Dentist  >  Old Town dentist

Why the Best Dentist Will Recommend a Fluoride Treatment

As the best dentist in town for preventative care, we are focused on keeping our patients healthy and cavity free.  It is important to us that our patients can enjoy life without toothaches or gum disease.  With this in mind, we recommend coming in for a teeth cleaning twice a year so that we can remove plaque and bacteria in order to prevent common oral health problems.  During these appointments, we may recommend a fluoride treatment as an additional way to strengthen teeth.  In fact, we recommend this on at least an annual basis for children and teens.

Why we like fluoride -

Studies have shown that fluoride can reduce the risk of tooth decay (cavities) by 30 percent.  This is significant when you also consider what the Center for Disease Control had to say.  According to the CDC, tooth decay is the most frequently occurring infectious disease in children.  It causes them to miss school and experience the discomfort associated with a toothache.  Given our desire to see our patients healthy, a 30 percent decrease can be significant throughout a person's lifetime.

Where you can find it –

Look around you, and you are likely encountering some amount of fluorine.  It can be found in nature, in the air that you breathe, food you eat, and the dirt that you walk on.  While it is all around us, we don't absorb enough of it and need to obtain it through other means.  Given the desire to improve oral health, fluoride has been put into the public water supply of over 10,000 communities across the United States.  Additionally, you can receive a fluoride treatment in our dental office.  As the best dentist for preventative care, we place a fluoride varnish onto teeth and leave it there for around four minutes.  During that time, it will be absorbed into the enamel. Since fluoride doesn't have a particular smell or taste, this is comfortable even for small children.  You can also purchase a fluoride toothpaste and use it two to three times per day in order to strengthen your teeth.  The results are not as significant as drinking fluoridated water or having a professional treatment, but toothpaste is helpful.

How it helps you –

As you age, teeth naturally start the process of demineralization.  This is where the enamel on the outside of the tooth starts to weaken and even erode.  As it does, the teeth become more susceptible to tooth decay and sensitivity.  In order to fight demineralization, you must remineralize your teeth.  This can be done using fluoride.  When it is placed onto your teeth or drunk, fluoride can reduce your risk of cavities and does so be making the enamel stronger so that the body can fight off infection.  Simultaneously, fluoride can even reverse the effects of preliminary tooth decay, making it the perfect accompaniment to your daily oral hygiene routine.
If you are looking to keep your teeth healthy and strong, call our office to speak with the best dentist in town.

Alexandria Dentist  >  Old Town dentist