Western Dental Suggests Ways to Combat Bad Breath

Western Dental & Orthodontics has some advice for those who strive to maintain fresh breath.

We all dread having bad breath (halitosis), yet it can happen to anyone, according to Dr. John Luther, Chief Dental Officer at Western Dental.

Bad breath results from the presence of a foul-smelling odor that is expelled from the mouth. It can be a sign of periodontal disease, tooth decay or poor overall oral hygiene.

Part of the problem is knowing that you have bad breath, because it’s typically challenging to pick up on one’s own scent. And family members, close friends and colleagues may feel uncomfortable telling you.

Dr. Luther suggests these tips on how one can determine if you have bad breath:

• Try the “cotton test.” Wipe the top surface of your tongue with a piece of cotton gauze and smell it. If there’s a foul smell and a yellowish stain on the cotton, it's likely that you have an elevated sulphide production level and bad breath.
• Lick the back of your hand, let it dry for 5-10 seconds, then smell it or run a piece of dental floss between your back teeth and smell the floss.
• Stand in front of the mirror and stick your tongue out as far as possible. If the very back of the tongue is whitish, it may be a sign that you have bad breath.

However, the best way to truly identify the source of chronic bad breath is visit a dentist for a professional diagnosis. A dentist can check for gum disease, which can lead to bad breath.

Most people can reduce or eliminate bad breath by committing to the basics of good dental hygiene. Visit a dentist at least twice a year but understand that most of the work must be done at home.

Dr. Luther offers these tips below to prevent bad breath:

• Brush twice a day at a 45-degree angle to your gums
• Brush or scrape your tongue
• Floss regularly, at least once a day
• There are certain foods that trigger bad breath (onions, fish, garlic). Consider avoiding or reduce your intake of these foods

ABOUT WESTERN DENTAL

Western Dental (with its affiliates, including Brident Dental & Orthodontics, Access Dental, Blue Hills Dental, South Texas Dental and Vital Smiles) is one of the nation’s largest dental providers and is the leader in accessible, affordable oral healthcare, serving approximately 2.9 million patient visits annually in 314 affiliated offices throughout California, Texas, Arizona, Nevada and Alabama. In addition to general dentistry, Western Dental offers orthodontics, oral surgery, pediatric dentistry, periodontics and endodontics in its offices, creating a convenient full service “Dental Home.”

In California, Western Dental is the leading provider of services to both adults and children in the Denti-Cal program – part of the Medi-Cal public insurance program that provides health care benefits for more than 13 million low-income individuals and families. Western Dental dentists provided care to more than a half-million Denti-Cal beneficiaries in 2017 and is committed to continuing to partner with the State to improve the program. In Texas, Western Dental is the leading provider of Medicaid services and recently entered into a first-of-its-kind agreement to participate in a value-based care and payment model under the state’s Medicaid program.

All of Western Dental’s services are backed by a unique quality assurance system that electronically monitors all patient visits, treatments, dental staff and clinical performance to enable high-quality care. For more information, visit www.westerndental.com or call 1-800-6-DENTAL.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20190304005848/en/

Jeffrey Weidel
Office: 916-781-0616
Cell: 916-402-7132
jeff@halldinpr.com

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