Bad breath is an unpleasant and embarrassing dental condition and social problem. The worst thing about it is that it is very difficult to tell if you have bad breath without being told about it. There are a number of causes of bad breath including oral bacteria living on food trapped in between the teeth, digestion problems and also from gum disease.
The smell coming from a person’s mouth who has active gum disease, or periodontitis as it is otherwise known, is so distinctive a Leeds dentist can correctly anticipate the problem before they have even started to examine the patient. Gum disease is typically more of a problem the older we get, with patients over the age of 35 being particularly at risk. This means that bad breath caused by gum disease is also a risk factor the older we get.
Gum disease is a bacterial infection that takes hold in the gum tissue that surrounds the teeth. It forms in the pockets that exist between the teeth and the gums and can cause irritation, bleeding and even tooth loss if not treated early enough. It is the bacteria that cause the infection that are responsible for the bad odour that causes bad breath.
Gum disease that causes bad breath can be treated with help from the dentist and with improved cleaning and oral hygiene. Better brushing and particularly flossing can help to remove bacteria, even from the small pockets that exist at the base of the tooth and gum.
Tags: bacteria, bad breath, gum disease, infection, oral hygiene
