Sometimes, bad breath is associated with gum disease.  A good way to check for this is to rub the areas between the teeth and gums, if this yields a foul odor, you may have some level of gum disease. Periodontal therapy at your dentist can help prevent and treat gum disease, however, your own daily home care makes all the difference in the world in maintaining gum health between appointments. Cleaning between the teeth is of great importance. One home tip to healthy gums (and less bad breath) is to smell the odor coming from the dental floss, and to work to clean those areas more carefully. People with gum disease often have higher levels of odor coming from their tongue.  Brushing  your tongue thoroughly can also help to reduce mouth odors.

Bacteria in and around the gum line

Most people accumulate dental plaque and calculus on their teeth and as a result, need to visit hygienists to have their teeth professionally cleaned.  The areas between the teeth and under the gum line are perfect hiding places for bacteria. The bacteria that grow beneath the gum line are a combination of those that use oxygen and those that can grow only when the oxygen is gone. These two kinds of bacteria live in harmony, the first type consuming the available oxygen, and the second kind taking advantage of the oxygen- free environment. This second kind is generally considered to be responsible for the smell, a combination of volatile sulphur compounds, combined with a variety of others, possibly including nitrogen-containing gases such as cadaverine (smell of corpses) and putrescine (smell of decaying meat).

Do your gums bleed?

If your gums bleed spontaneously, when you eat, or when you brush them, then you should know that this may be a sign of gum (periodontal) disease. Gum disease is caused by odor-forming bacteria and is related to bad breath in at least some people. If you don't take care of gum inflammation at its early stages, it may develop into more severe stages which are irreversible, and can eventually lead to having your teeth loosen and fall out. If your gums bleed, you feel that your teeth wobble, or your teeth exude a terrible taste, take care of them immediately. The best bet is to go straight to your Dentist. If an operation is recommended, a second opinion should be obtained. The success of periodontal therapy depends, above all, on how the patient improves his/her oral hygiene on a day-to-day basis.

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Last modified: October 17, 2007