Don’t Let Bad Breath Ruin Your Day; Talk to a Periodontal Professional in Toronto

Have you ever had an awkward conversation with a friend and smelled something a little off about their breath? Or noticed yourself smelling less than fresh, even after brushing? Unfortunately, sometimes bad breath isn’t just a result of something you ate for lunch—it could be a sign that something more serious is going on inside your mouth.

The Medical Side of Bad Breath

While occasional bad breath is common and usually linked to food, coffee, or poor oral hygiene, chronic bad breath could be one of the first signs of an underlying dental issue. Persistent bad breath, also called periodontal breath, is a medical term for bad breath (halitosis). Here’s what you need to know about periodontal breath and its connection to periodontal disease.

Poor Oral Hygiene and Bad Breath

Brushing and flossing twice per day is crucial to not only keeping your breath fresh but also to maintaining your teeth and gums. Poor oral hygiene habits leave tiny food particles behind on your teeth and gums, and over time, plaque and bacteria will build up in your mouth. The result? The unmistakable odour of bad breath.

If this is a relatively new occurrence, and you are not experiencing any other symptoms of a more serious gum infection, then improving your brushing and flossing routine might help resolve the issue. However, if the bad breath persists, it’s important to consult a dental professional for a thorough examination.

The Relationship Between Periodontic Breath and Gum Disease

People often confuse or downplay periodontal breath with your run-of-the-mill morning breath or a brief case of post-lunch bad breath. However, they are not the same. Periodontal disease is the most common cause of persistent bad breath, and this is not something you can fight with minty toothpaste or mouthwash.

Gingivitis

Periodontal disease is a serious infection of the gums which, if left untreated, can affect much more than just your breath. Gingivitis is the earliest form of gum disease. At this stage, plaque has made its way below the gum line, causing inflammation and irritation; however, it is also common and highly treatable.

A deep cleaning at your dentist or a periodontal clinic in Toronto can often treat gingivitis before it progresses into more serious periodontal disease. During the appointment, your dental professional will go a step further than your typical cleaning, incorporating scaling and potentially root planing to remove all the plaque and bacteria from pockets that have formed below the gum line and help restore gum health and eliminate your bad breath.

Gum Disease

Left untreated, gingivitis can quickly progress into periodontitis, a more severe form of gum disease. Periodontitis occurs when the infection spreads deeper into the tissues supporting your teeth, affecting the bone and ligaments that keep them in place. As the infection worsens, the pockets between your teeth and gums deepen, trapping more plaque, bacteria, and debris, which in turn worsens the infection.

Treating periodontitis requires more extensive care, as the damage to the gums and bone can be significant. Scaling and root planning is the starting point; this is required to remove all the plaque and bacteria that have accumulated below the gums and help to prevent the disease from progressing further.

Once the teeth and gums have been thoroughly cleaned, your periodontist will outline your next steps. Depending on the severity and progression of the disease, your treatment might include a surgical tissue procedure to repair the gums around your teeth and prevent tooth loss, and bone grafts to help stabilize teeth.

Seeking Early Treatment to Perio Breath is Key to Avoiding Gum Disease

Bad breath isn’t just a nuisance; it can be an early warning sign of gum disease lurking beneath the surface.  The next time you smell something off about your breath, take a moment to consider whether this is a one-off problem or an issue you have noticed slowly getting worse. It could be the difference between a simple fix like improving your brushing and flossing routine or a more serious underlying issue that requires professional periodontal treatment.