Once we have determined the degree and cause of the breath problem, the treatment can take many forms. If medical problems are found to be the underlying cause of bad breath, proper referral will be made.

Dental problems account for the majority of breath disorders. These can range from broken, leaking fillings or obvious infection, to impacted teeth and calculus buildup, which can harbor odor-causing bacteria. Recommendation will be made to correct and treat any dental disease that is directly related to the breath problem.

Other oral causes are wearing full or partial dentures, faulty fillings, drifting or extruded teeth, abscesses, thrush, or cancer.

Halitosis is especially prevalent in patients with gum disease.  Bacteria will release the aromatic sulfur compounds as the cells in the periodontal pocket break down.  Periodic hygiene appointments, and monitoring of the periodontal status, are very important in individuals susceptible to halitosis.

One option to remove these volatile sulfur compounds is a mouth rinse containing chlorine dioxide.  For this we often recommend a special mouth rinse made by Ropar called Clo-Sys, which is not commercially available. We can directly order this for interested patients. Most over-the counter mouth rinses only temporary cover up odor, and may make the mouth drier which contributes to later halitosis. Finally, an effective home care program will be designed for the destruction of the volatile sulfur gases.

Many cases also require the use of a tongue scraper to clean the top portion of the tongue. Most of the offending bacteria on the tongue are in the furthest back portion.

Our goal is a clean, healthy mouth with fresh breath!

80% of bad breath originates in the mouth, often times it is a symptom of underlying disease which needs the earliest possible treatment.

Recently Dr. Gibbs has attended many meeting concerning new research in halitosis. Among some of the findings:

Over 90% of halitosis originates from oral origins. Digestive, medical diseases, and food cause less than 10% of all halitosis. Food and tobacco are contributory, but do not cause chronic halitosis.

The most common cause of halitosis is the release of aromatic sulfur compounds from bacteria digesting protein, and exfoliating epithelial cells. Most of the problem causing bacteria are found either in deep periodontal pockets (found in gum disease), or on the far back portion of the tongue.

Reduced saliva flow during sleep, cancer therapy, or taking certain medications are another common causes.

The sulfur compounds most responsible for halitosis, and the bacteria releasing the compounds, can be significantly reduced by the use of a chlorine dioxide mouthwash. Chlorine dioxide is an EPA approved chemical used commonly in water purification. It not only directly reduces levels of causative bacteria (reducing gum disease), but also destroys the offensive sulfur compounds.

It is estimated that there are up to 90 million people who suffer from Chronic Bad Breath. It is an embarrassing problem that can be psychologically damaging, resulting in the loss of jobs, and personal relationships. Most people feel self-conscious about bad breath. Here at Dr. Gibbs office, we treat bad breath as a medical condition.