| If you are the type of person who rushes out in the | | | | to miss plaque right next to the gum, and, in between |
| morning after spending a minute or two brushing your | | | | teeth. It may well be necessary to use dental floss to |
| teeth, then reaches for a doughnut and coffee | | | | get right in between teeth and scrape out the plaque |
| mid-morning, then you might well be the type of person | | | | It is possible that you may have some underlying |
| to have smelly breath. | | | | factors that contribute to smelly breath so it is |
| You see, it takes several minutes to clean your teeth | | | | important to visit your dentist for a check-up and scale |
| properly, and you should do this in the morning after | | | | and polish. The dentist will check for cavities in the |
| breakfast to remove the accumulations of plaque that | | | | teeth, and for tartar deposits and gum disease. |
| have occurred during the night. Plaque is the sticky film | | | | Cavities due to dental decay can harbour bacteria |
| from saliva that forms constantly on our teeth and | | | | causing a bad smell and need to be filled. Tartar |
| holds bacteria which produce a bad smell. If you don't | | | | deposits are accumulations of chalky material on the |
| clean off all the plaque before going out in the morning | | | | teeth from calcium and other material causing |
| then the bacteria are sitting there waiting for their next | | | | hardening of plaque. If you have not been adequately |
| meal so to speak. Eating cakes, biscuits or | | | | cleaning your teeth over a period of time these tartar |
| confectionery, anything with carbohydrate, mid-morning | | | | deposits could have irritated the gums causing |
| causes sugar to be quickly absorbed into the plaque | | | | loosening of the gum around the edge of teeth with |
| feeding the bacteria which can then multiply rapidly and | | | | consequent gaps and pockets where food debris and |
| cause smelly breath. | | | | bacteria can lodge, all adding to the problem. |
| The sugary sticky plaque also tends to trap other | | | | If tartar is present the dentist will clean that away by |
| substances that cause smells, like coffee, garlic, or | | | | careful scraping or using an ultrasonic device, and then |
| onions. So if you slip out for a salami sandwich at | | | | polish your teeth to give a smooth surface that you |
| lunch-time and don't clean your teeth you will likely | | | | can then more easily keep free from plaque. If gum |
| have a reservoir of smells to last right through the | | | | irritation has not been too severe then the gums should |
| afternoon. | | | | heal by themselves and gradually tighten up again. If |
| The solution to this problem is to set aside 4-5 minutes | | | | you have deep pockets there may be need for more |
| each morning to enable you to clean your teeth | | | | prolonged treatment to eradicate infection in the base |
| thoroughly, removing all plaque from the teeth. It can be | | | | of pockets, as it's almost impossible for the toothbrush |
| difficult to see plaque, as it is almost invisible, so you | | | | to adequately clean a pocket. |
| could use a disclosing tablet which contains a harmless | | | | By addressing and removing any tooth or gum |
| vegetable dye, to stain the plaque so that it's easy to | | | | problems, and by establishing a morning and night-time |
| see. Usually, disclosing tablets stain plaque a bright red | | | | regime of several minutes careful cleaning and plaque |
| colour so that you know once you have removed all | | | | removal, you will alter your mouth environment and |
| the red you have removed all the plaque. The difficult | | | | make it less possible for unfriendly bacteria to thrive. |
| areas are down at the base of teeth where it is easy | | | | Smelly breath will be a thing of the past. |