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What Causes Bad Breath?

Halitosis, also known as bad breath, is a common issue that affects nearly 80 million Americans. It’s a serious problem that doesn’t only affect your oral health, but can directly impact your personal life as well. Don’t worry, your dentist in Douglasville is here to help.

Dry Mouth

Your mouth needs an adequate saliva supply to keep itself healthy. Essentially, it helps wash away bacteria and neutralize acid that can lead to decay and cavities. Without it, bacteria are left to linger around and cause all sorts of problems, including bad breath. Dry mouth can be caused by numerous things including some medications or mouth breathing.

Foods

Although fragrant foods don’t tend to be a serious, long-lasting problem, they are a cause of bad breath. The typical culprits like your morning cup of coffee, a garlicky pasta sauce, or a tasty onion-packed sandwich can sometimes leave an after-smell in your mouth, even after you brush and floss.

Poor Dental Hygiene

When someone doesn’t follow a proper at-home oral health routine of brushing twice a day and flossing once a day, the chance of odor causing bacteria sticking around and creating an unpleasant stench increases. Not to mention, poor dental hygiene can lead to more problems like cavities, the need for root canal treatment, discoloration, or even tooth loss.

A Whole-Body Problem

While bad breath may seem like a small yet embarrassing issue, it may be a sign that something more serious is happening somewhere else in the body. Bad breath has been linked to:

• Gum disease
• Pneumonia
• Liver or kidney disease
• Diabetes

This is why the team at my Douglasville dental office encourages anyone suffering from chronic bad breath to see their dentist as soon as possible.

If you’re worried about bad breath, or it’s just time to see a dentist, we welcome you to call my dental office in Douglasville to schedule an appointment. We’ll be happy to see you and discuss any dental concern you may have.

Accepting patients from Douglasville, Lithia Springs, Villa Rica and the surrounding areas.

“Why Do I Keep Biting My Tongue At Night?”

Everyone enjoys getting a solid night’s sleep. It not only feels great… it also provides some valuable health benefits, too. But sometime, sleep can be interrupted by any number of things — a snoring partner, a sick child, or even from biting your own tongue. If this last item happens to you frequently, my dental office in Douglasville encourages you to find out why. We’re here to help.

Common Causes

Nighttime tongue biting is actually pretty common, but it can be incredibly uncomfortable and painful. What’s more, it may be a sign that something more serious is going on. The top reasons someone may experience tongue biting during sleep include:

• Nighttime seizures
• Grinding your teeth
• Rhythmic movement disorder

Let’s take a closer look at each cause and potential treatment.

Nighttime Seizures

Seizures are usually categorized by a tightening of muscles accompanied by violent twitching. Involuntarily biting of the tongue is also one of the main indicators of seizures. But the symptoms aren’t always so noticeable, and sometimes there are no daytime signs and rather only occur during sleep. Treatment: Using a seizure medication can help prevent seizures and, in turn, tongue biting.

Rhythmic Movement Disorder

This disorder causes individuals to experience jerks or sudden movements during sleep, usually in the head or neck. Typically more common in children, sometimes rhythmic movement disorder can appear as head banging and may result in injuries to the eyes, brain, and yes, tongue. Treatment: The good news is rhythmic movement disorder in children tends to go away on its own. If not, medication may be recommended.

Grinding Your Teeth

Nighttime bruxism, also known as grinding your teeth, is fairly common but can cause someone to bite their tongue unwillingly. Teeth grinding may also create additional dental problems like chips and cracks. Treatment: A bruxism night guard can protect teeth from grinding against each other, as well as the tongue from being bitten

If you suffer from frequent nighttime tongue biting, talk with your dentist in Douglasville to determine if grinding your teeth may the cause and to discuss the best treatment for your specific needs. My Douglasville dental office also encourages you to see your physician if another culprit is suspected.

Accepting patients from Douglasville, Lithia Springs, Villa Rica.