• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to footer

Vernon Denture Clinic

Bringing unique smiles to life

Phone: 250.542.9117 or Toll-Free: 1.877.539.1972
  • Home
  • About Us
    • Our Team
    • Our Clinic
    • Mural Project
  • Services
    • Standard Dentures
    • Precision Dentures
    • Implant-Supported Dentures
    • Partial Dentures
    • Immediate Dentures
    • Relines, Rebases and Soft Liners
    • Repairs
    • Features
    • Upgrades
  • Patients
    • Patient Safety
    • Treatment Planning & Patient Care
    • Smiles
    • Reviews
  • FAQs
  • Blog
  • Contact
    • Contact us
    • Referral – Dental Providers
    • Patient Forms

Banish Oral Malodor (Bad Breath)

August 3, 2020 by Vernon Denture Clinic

Your denturist can recommend the best products for you to combat oral malodor

Oral malodor, halitosis, bad breath: no matter what you call it, it’s unpleasant and embarrassing. It is also one of the leading reasons that patients seek dental treatment.

Mints, gum, pills, pastes, and other breath “treatments” act mainly as temporary cover-ups. Some “breath busters” can make the problem even worse. So how can oral malodor be treated?

How and where oral malodor begins

The cause of bad breath is generally found on the surface of the tongue. The surface of your tongue is similar to a shag rug, with rough-textured, fingerlike papillae (bumps on the top and sides of your tongue) that create a textured, crevasse-like surface.

Naturally occurring oral bacteria as well as dental plaque collects all over this textured surface, including between the “fingers” of the papillae. As the bacteria and plaque break down, volatile sulphur compounds (VSCs) are produced and create oral malodor.

How to reduce oral malodor

Step 1: Floss

If you have any natural teeth, we recommend you floss before you brush. Flossing removes interproximal (between the teeth) plaque and debris, removing it before it even has a chance to generate VSCs.

Cleaning interproximal tooth surfaces before brushing also helps to ensure that the fluoride in your toothpaste will contact the maximum amount of enamel (outer layer) on your teeth, to strengthen and protect them.

Need to floss but find it difficult? There are other options out there, like flossing picks and water flossers. These may not remove all plaque, but they can be easier to use than string floss.

A Sulcabrush® is another option to clean between teeth. It is clinically proven to perform as well as floss to remove plaque and reduce gingivitis and is particularly effective for cleaning around dental implants, bridges, crowns, and orthodontic bands.

Step 2: Brush

Brushing teeth works in two ways. First, plaque and tartar are mechanically scraped off the teeth. Second, fluoride in toothpaste rebuilds and strengthens the enamel of natural teeth.

If you have any natural teeth, use a toothpaste that is gentle to teeth’s enamel, and a soft or extra-soft toothbrush to clean your teeth effectively while being gentle on enamel. Steer clear of firm-bristled toothbrushes and highly abrasive toothpastes such as whitening formulas.

To clean denture teeth, rinse your denture with water to remove any loose debris, then brush gently with a denture brush or extra-soft toothbrush and plain water. Rinse your denture again, then soak your denture in your preferred denture cleaner.

Step 3: Scrape your tongue

The tongue is covered with papillae – fingerlike projections that make the tongue’s surface tufted and uneven. Food, debris, and bacterial residue can get trapped in the surface grooves and fissures, causing malodor as it breaks down.

A toothbrush’s bristles are soft and pliable and cannot penetrate into the crevasses of the tongue’s surface to clean it effectively.

Tongue scraping is the best way to clean the surface of the tongue. It involves using a small tool called a tongue scraper that is scraped lightly over the tongue to remove biofilm, food, and debris. Tongue scrapers are generally inexpensive and can be purchased through your dental professional.

Step 4: Rinse

Once you have removed plaque and debris from your teeth and tongue, the final step is to chemically neutralize any remaining debris.

Oral rinses containing chlorine dioxide (ClO2) have been proven effective in controlling oral odour as ClO2 disrupts the growth of odor-causing bacteria, reduces VSCs, and decreases plaque accumulation. The effectiveness of ClO2 improves over time so daily use is recommended for maximum results.

By following this regimen twice a day, you can control oral malodor and improve your overall oral health.

Back to the Blog Archives

Share this:

  • Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window)

Filed Under: Blog Tagged With: cleaning, denture care, health conditions, oral care, patient care

At Vernon Denture Clinic, we understand just how unique your smile is!

Footer

2910 – 31st Avenue
Vernon, BC V1T 2G4

Tel: 250.542.9117
Toll-Free: 1.877.539.1972
Fax: 250.542.9677
Email: admin@vernondentureclinic.com

  • View vernondentures’s profile on Facebook
  • View vernondentures’s profile on Twitter
  • View vernondentureclinic’s profile on Instagram

Copyright © 2024 · Vernon Denture Clinic · All Rights Reserved.

Copyright © 2024 · Atmosphere Pro on Genesis Framework · WordPress · Log in

  • Home
  • About Us
  • Services
  • Patients
  • FAQs
  • Blog
  • Contact
 

Loading Comments...