Your Breath Is Bad? What It Might Mean

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Bad breath can be embarrassing, and also a sign of poor dental health. If you have bad breath, it’s important to find out why and address the problem. Your dentist in Lighthouse Point, FL, and Fort Lauderdale, FL, can help you uncover the cause of your bad breath. If you have a dental problem like an infection of a tooth or gum disease, your dentist can help. Here’s what you need to know.

Causes of Bad Breath

Bad breath is often caused by bacteria and food particles in the mouth. For many people, brushing their teeth will get rid of bad breath. However, there are other causes of bad breath, including:

  • Cavity or infection in a tooth. Cavities and infections are caused by bacteria that can lead to bad breath.
  • Gum disease. When you have gum disease, bacteria in your mouth and gums can cause bad breath.
  • Eating certain foods. Some foods, like onions, stay in the bloodstream long after eating. This can cause temporary bad breath.

What to Do About Bad Breath

If you have bad breath, start by noticing whether your bad breath goes away after you stop eating foods like onions and garlic. If this is the case, this means that your bad breath is the natural result of what you’re eating.

If bad breath doesn’t go away after brushing your teeth, this could mean that you have a problem like periodontal disease (gum disease) or a cavity.

When to See the Dentist

If you have persistent bad breath, you could have a problem like gum disease. If this is the case, you may benefit from help from a periodontist in Lighthouse Point, FL, and Fort Lauderdale, FL. Call today to make an appointment.

4 Toothbrushing Tips to Remember

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Brushing your teeth is one of the most important things you can do to maintain healthy teeth and gums. You probably already know that you should be brushing your teeth twice daily, but there’s a lot more to toothbrushing than that. As your dentist at Fort Lauderdale, FL, and Lighthouse Point, FL, we’re happy to give you advice that can help you maintain healthy teeth and gums. Below, we’ve outlined four toothbrushing tips to remember.

1. Brush for 2 Minutes At A Time

If you brush too long, you can damage your tooth enamel and gums. If you don’t brush your teeth long enough, you won’t get your teeth clean enough. The optimal amount of time to spend brushing your teeth is two minutes. Time yourself to get this right.

2. Soft-Bristle Brushes Are Best

You don’t need hard-bristle toothbrushes to get your teeth cleaner! Soft-bristle toothbrushes can do a good job getting the plaque off your teeth. Buy a soft-bristle toothbrush to keep your teeth clean and beautiful.

3. Be Gentle!

Just as you don’t need hard bristles to brush your teeth, you also don’t need to push your toothbrush hard against your teeth to get them clean. Brush gently. If you brush too hard, you could wear down your gums and tooth enamel.

4. Consider an Electric Toothbrush

Electric toothbrushes do a great job keeping teeth clean. If you’re looking for a toothbrush that will work extra well, talk to your dentist to find out what kind of electric toothbrush your dentist recommends.

Want to know more about brushing your teeth? Ask for advice during your next dental checkup in Fort Lauderdale FL and Lighthouse Point FL.