Have you tried in vain to keep a straight face while your Boss is 'killing you softly' with his breath which smells of rotten eggs?
Or you have decided to go without kissing your spouse rather than rock the marital boat by telling him/her that they smell like a chemical experiment gone terribly wrong ?
Have you been at the receiving end or worse still - are you the perpetrator of the crime ?
Frankly - it may not be your fault at all. You probably haven't had the opportunity to be educated about the possibilities of treatment. Bad breath is a condition just like any other disease - its cause requires to be diagnosed properly and treated accordingly.
People's perception of bad breath have made mouthwash and chewing gum companies - multi multi billionaires!!! Even toothpaste companies advertisements focus on propagating the 'fresh breath' aspect rather than the clean teeth bit! Unfortunately - most mouthwashes and mints are only cosmetic and not therapeutic. Simply put - they will only mask your bad odor and not eliminate the cause. Since they are only masking the odor - they act much like the foundation and cosmetics on skin - it only masks the blemishes underneath and does not get rid of them.
So what really causes bad mouth odor???
The causes are divided between those to be found in the mouth and those that are extra oral.
The intra Oral causes are:
1. poor oral hygiene
2. Deposits on the teeth
3. Deep cavities in your teeth which act as a food trap
4. Coated tongues ( when you do not clean your tongue everyday)
5. Gum disease
6. Dry mouth
7. Dentures
The causes of bad odor that is extra oral ( rest of the body) are:
1. Throat infections and colds
2. Sinusitis/tonsillitis
3. Lung diseases
4. Some liver and kidney diseases
5. diabetes
6. A few other systemic conditions
The above are just some of the causes. There are more. Almost all of the causes within the mouth can be treated and most of those outside the mouth too.
Sometimes all you will require is a professional tooth cleaning ( scaling), correct toothbrushing technique demonstration and a nudge to take better care of your dental health. Do you think it makes sense to suffer a lifetime of self consciousness just because you are scared/ashamed or hesitant to get professional help from a dentist ?
And even if you need more treatment than the above because the cause is more complicated - wouldn't you want to know?
Bad breath is a deal breaker. Why keep it so close to you at the cost of you losing potential relationships, being made fun of by friends, or maybe even be passed up for a promotion?
Bad Breath is much like body odor - it is an instant turn off. So instead - you can turn bad breath off.
Find the cause and eliminate it. And maybe then - like those ads on TV - you could make a heart on the fresh breath that you blow onto a glass window when you see the love of your life :)
www.aryasdentalclinic.com
Mouth ulcers are known by many names including apthous ulcers and canker sores.
Mouth ulcers can be uncomfortable at best and excruciatingly painful when they really decide to work up.
Clinically aphthous ulcers can be divided into two general categories:
- Minor aphthae, which comprise over 80% of reported cases, are small (<1.0 cm), usually solitary, exquisitely painful, shallow ulcers and heal without scarring in 7-10 days.
- Major aphthae, which account for less than 10% of reported cases, are bigger, deeper, and heal with scar formation over a period of 2-3 weeks.
They are the result of several factors including - stress, nutritional deficiencies, acidity and genetic predispositions.
Other Common factors include:
- Injuries from any food, cheek biting, sharp- edged teeth, dentures, etc.
- Burns: either from certain foodstuff or chemicals
- Drugs - Pain killers/antibiotics
- Inadvertent lip/cheek biting
For recurrent sufferers - they are a kill joy. You can't enjoy spicy food - sometimes it is so bad you cannot enjoy ANY food. Huge painful ulcers interfere with speech.
If you try to wait it out - it will take approx 7-10 days (if not more)to heal.
So what is the cure for a mouth ulcer? and is there one?
The bad news is that for those with a predisposition to recurrent ulcers - there is no cure. They will keep coming back no matter what you do.
The good news is - that you don't have to suffer the full 7-10 days that it normally takes for an ulcer to heal.
Previously all we could offer patients was a oral gel that could be applied to anesthetize the area, thereby causing relief from the pain. The initial application stings but then numbs the area for a while allowing you to eat and drink. However the relief lasted for very short periods, necessitating frequent applications. Moreover the gels were only symptomatic treatment with no effect on the actual duration of healing.
LASERS have revolutionized the treatment of ulcers. With a good soft tissue LASER - a couple of 5 min sittings is all that is needed to substantially reduce pain AND shorten the healing period.
The procedure is simple:
1. A topical gel is applied on the ulcer ( No need of an injection at all) - 10 sec
2. The LASER light is moved over the ulcer at a specific wattage for biostimulation ( to activate the healing cells) - ( 2min)
3. The last step involves light banding of the edges of the ulcers ( 30 sec)
In approx 3 min - you will experience reduction of pain and will be ready to go home.
The same three steps are repeated on the next day.
For a small ulcer - you may not even require the second sitting.
Those who have experienced a truly painful mouth ulcer can understand the value of reducing the healing period from 7-10 days to a mere 2 -3 days. And all it involves is five min of a very simple and pain free procedure!
Do not let a simple mouth ulcer get in the way of you enjoying good food and great company.
Zap it and rid yourself of it. :)
www.aryasdentalclinic.com
