Going to a dentist

[alexmarison]

While I am testing my theory on one form of bb myself (from the lungs) (see post below), I've also started working on my theory for the other form of bb (bacterial/mouth related), which I also suffer from.

Treatment for this form of bb would require a new and direct pocedure to cure: I call it gum planing (after tooth planing). In tooth planing, a dentist scrapes a tooth down in order to smooth it out, erasing all the crevices that exist which are havens for bacteria. Bacterial bb orignating from the mouth comes from the folds, flaps, pockets, and crevices in the gums, which create hard-to-clean spaces where bacteria can thrive. Most often, I think, these deformations in the gums are the result of the contouring that happens as wisdom teeth push up, but, even in cases where a wisdom tooth is the intrumental cause of the problem, its extraction does not always solve it, because the gums are not necessarily "planed" or made smooth again by the procedure. What is needed is a new procedure which specifically addresses the problem of the deformed gums: hence, gum planing.

The other form of bb, which I have an open thread on, does not seem to affect as many people as bacterial bb. So maybe people will be more interested in this thread:

I am writing a letter to an oral sugeon in my neighborhood, explaining to him my case and theory, but it would help our cause more, I think, if other people in the area signed on to my letter and explained their cases, as well. No insurance is required (as I don't have any myself). I am asking the dentist to collaborate with me on a scholarly paper describing this experimental procedure, and offerring us up as candidates.for it.

So, if you suffer from gingival bb, that is, you are pretty sure it is coming from your teeth and gums and not your lungs, (like garlic breath), or your nose (like from sinus problems, which already has well-known treatment options), and not from your throat (like from the tonsils, stomach, or esophagus, which also has known treatments) - and you live in the Chicago area or can get here - let us approach a dentist together.

One way to know if you have bb originating from your gums is to try to feel around them with your tongue (especially the area behind the molars where your wisdom teeth would come through). See if you can open your gum tissue up or pry into it with the tip of your tongue; if you can and when you do you tase and smell a bad odor, then this is probably the source of your bb. Try it especially after brushing your teeth and waiting about 10 minutes. This will give the bacteria enough time to come back in full force (since they can never be fully eradicated with this condition), and, since the rest of the mouth is clean and minty, there will be a greater contrast if you are able to release some bacteria lodged in your gums with you tongue.

[alexmarison]

Ok, I guess there is no one on these forums from the Chicago area. So, I just cut and pasted some of your stories that are similar to mine - some of your cases of bb that seem to come from deformation of gum tissue due to wisdom tooth eruption - and I sent them to my nearest oral surgeon, discussing the problem, broadly, and proposing a new procedure to specifically and directly deal with bb; and asking him for help. Wish me luck.

[halitosisux]

Good luck!
I think priorities are important to establish. I'm glad you are focusing on your teeth and gums, which, from your descriptions, are in clear need of attention.

[alexmarison]

The dentist I emailed responded. He suggested I find a dentist who specializes in treating bb cases. Honestely, due to the lack of good theories about it and effective treatments available, I didn't know there were dentists who called themselves experts on it. But, as he said, I did find a putatively renowned bb specialist with a state-of-the-art office here in downtown Chicago. I wrote him on Sunday, but have yet to hear back. On his website, he tauts a chlorine rinse to fight bb, for which he no doubt has a sponsorship deal. His suggestions for treatment of bb also just speak to better oral hygiene. I am not sure if I put him off by citing in my email to him a Times magazine article from 1936 debunking the lack-of-oral-hygiene theory for garlic breath - which also specifically panned a chlorine rinse some doctor, even way back then, was trying to peddle! But I did not make reference to him and his pracitice in connection with this article - I just happened to use it in setting forth the problem of bb and to show the distinction btw 2 kinds of bb: one that comes from the lungs and one that comes from the mouth. Hope he doesn't take it personal. ...
(Here is a link to the article:
http://www.time.com/time/magazine/arti ... 0hVmHG5NK )