Periodontal disease, which is often called gum disease, is incredibly common. It’s the No. 1 cause of tooth loss. But well before you lose your teeth, periodontal disease can cause the annoying symptom of chronic bad breath.
The highly trained, compassionate experts at all of our CaliDental locations understand that chronic bad breath can make social situations uncomfortable, cause worry at work, and create other problems in your life.
We provide care for periodontal disease, and you won’t believe the difference our treatments make.
Millions of bacterial microbes inhabit your mouth all of the time. Most of them are benign; some even aid in digestion, which begins as you chew your food. However, some of these microbes are bad, or there’s too many of them, and they can begin to thrive and cause problems.
Even if you floss and brush every day, plaque can build up. Plaque is a sticky substance that hardens into tartar, which feeds the bacterial presence that can lead to gum disease. Your gumline is especially vulnerable, and professional cleaning is often the only way to get rid of it.
When the plaque and resulting tartar aren’t removed, it begins to irritate your gums, causing them to turn red, puffy, and tender. Early on, gum disease is called gingivitis, but as it progresses, it becomes periodontal disease.
Along with tender, swollen gums, you may notice persistent bad breath. This is a symptom of infection.
You may notice that your mouth feels sour, even if you’ve recently brushed your teeth. You may also notice that you have a bad taste in your mouth throughout the day, and that your breath is unpleasant no matter what you do.
There are other signs that could indicate gum disease when they occur simultaneously with bad breath. The most common symptoms include:
If you notice any or some of these symptoms and you have persistent halitosis, there’s a strong likelihood you have periodontal disease.
Without treatment, plaque and tartar allow bacteria to form pockets between teeth and gums. These pockets are ideal habitats for further bacterial growth that your dental hygiene efforts can miss.
This bacteria feed off the tissue of your gums and teeth, and eventually can even infect the bones of your jaw.
When this happens, the roots of your teeth are endangered and you’re likely to begin losing teeth. Advanced periodontal disease has even been associated with spreading infection throughout your body via your bloodstream.
This doesn’t have to be the case. By scheduling an appointment and getting treatment, you can avoid advanced periodontal disease. One happy side effect of getting treatment is that your chronic bad breath most likely goes away.
Book your visit today at any of our convenient locations of CaliDental in San Luis Obispo, Lompoc, Santa Maria, and Bakersfield, so you protect your oral health and enjoy fresher breath.
