Tonsil stones, or tonsilloliths, are hard, sometimes painful bits of bacteria and debris that get stuck in nooks on your tonsils.
Gum, mints, and other quick fixes are just temporary solutions to occasional bad breath. If you’re dealing with true halitosis due to decay, illness, or any other reason, you shouldn’t stop at simply masking the problem. Dr. Edwards is an experienced dentist with over thirty years of experience treating families in Memphis and the surrounding areas. If you suffer from halitosis, we encourage you to schedule an appointment with him at our East Memphis or Midtown office to find out the underlying cause of the problem. Once we know what the issue is, we can offer a variety of treatment options to get rid of your chronic bad breath for good!
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The buildup of bacteria that causes a cavity can cause bad breath, as well as untreated cavities and further decay can produce a foul-smelling odour.
Visit your dentist on a regular basis. Regular checkups can find problems, such as gum disease, infections, and dry mouth. If you have bad breath and the dentist can’t find a cause, you may be referred to your primary healthcare provider for more follow-up.
How to tell if your breath smells bad
In case the foul smell is caused due to poor oral hygiene or eating certain food items, it can be termed as manageable. Brushing twice a day and using floss, and interdental cleaner, to clean food particles, plaque, and other debris from various parts of the mouth can help. Such patients should ensure they do not sleep with dentures in their mouth and use antibacterial mouthwash along with regular brushing before wearing the dentures back in the morning. The patient needs to stop chewing tobacco and smoking cigarettes as well. Most importantly, cracked, infected teeth and gum diseases should be treated quickly.
Fortunately, starting or resuming an oral care routine at home can quickly bring an end to your bad breath. Your hygienist can show you how to brush and floss if you need a refresher on the best way to do it. Seeing a dental professional for regular cleanings and checkups can also help treat bad breath caused by poor oral hygiene.
Halitosis, also known as bad breath, can be caused by various factors, some of which originate in the mouth, while others may stem from elsewhere in the body. Here are some of the most common reasons and causes of bad breath or halitosis:
Medications that cause a dry mouth can trigger bad breath. In addition, certain medications, such as triamterene and paraldehyde, have bad breath as a side effect.
To carry out a proper diagnosis to combat halitosis or bad breath, several fundamental aspects are taken into account: health status, lifestyle, oral situation and hygiene habits.
There are several over-the-counter products available that can help combat bad breath. Mouthwashes containing antibacterial agents like chlorhexidine or cetylpyridinium chloride can help kill bacteria and freshen breath. Breath mints or lozenges containing menthol or eucalyptus oil can also provide temporary relief from bad breath.
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The same spices that make a meal a work of art can leave a strong scent lingering on your breath. Foods and spices such as garlic, onion, spicy foods, curry, some cheeses, fish, and acidic beverages such as coffee can leave a lingering smell. These smells usually fade quickly or can be fixed by giving your mouth a quick rinse with some mouthwash or chewing a piece of sugar-free gum.
It is a laser resurfacing that helps smooth crevices which trap debris. It is a procedure that doctors do with local anesthesia and takes less time in recovery.
3. Rule Out any Other Oral Origin of Bad Breath – We often find tricky spots of plaque buildup on the tongue or tonsil region. We can quickly recognize a dry mouth and help you treat it. You may have an area of consistent food collection that we can address.
Diphtheria, dysentery, measles, pneumonia, scarlet fever, tuberculosis - extremely foul, fetid odor
When bacteria interact with the trapped debris in the tonsil crypts, they can produce volatile sulfur compounds, which have a strong odor. These compounds are responsible for the foul smell associated with bad breath. The presence of tonsil stones can exacerbate this process, leading to persistent bad breath.