Bad Breath Halitosis Forum

i usually have mild to moderate bb that is likely caused by a bacterial imbalance in my mouth, as well as gum disease. the bacteria get into my gum pockets and also accumulate on the back of my tongue (i have a light white coating, but it has gotten a lot better lately). i think stress is also a factor in worsening it, and it is also worse when i am on my period (hormonal stuff). sometimes i get dry mouth too and probably mild post nasal drip. anyway, my bb originates in the mouth.

i have lately found this to work for me:

- keep teeth and mouth clean (always brush after eating, floss, scrape tongue, etc.) because you don't want there to be any protein gunk in your mouth for the bacteria to feed on. i find my bb is worse later in the day (usually after eating) and especially when i get lazy about brushing after eating. at night, i use an electronic toothbrush (not the type with batteries but a plug-in type - the battery ones are not powerful enough).. it makes my teeth feel super clean. in the morning and during the day, i use a regular manual toothbrush.

after brushing and flossing at night or before going out, i do this:

- the tung brush is really great because it can reach pretty far back on the tongue. i had trouble using it at first cuz it would make me gag, but i find what helps is to stick your tongue out as far as possible (so you don't have to stick the tung brush down your throat) and breathe out when reaching as far back on the tongue as you can with the tung brush. afterwards, i use a breathrx tung scraper to remove any of the gunk and mucus left on the tongue

- hydrofloss irrigator (this is better than a water pik because it apparently delivers negative ions to your mouth which prevents plaque buildup). i use the regular tip first along the gum line and between my teeth with just regular water, and then i use the pocket pal jet tip with a solution of about 50ml of 3% hydrogen peroxide diluted with about 500ml of water (as suggested by someone on this forum)

- i then rinse with dioxirinse (which i recently started using, instead of smartmouth and find it works pretty well) or chlorhexidine/peridex. i use dioxirinse 5 days a week, and i use chlorhexidine 2 days a week.

in the morning, i just brush and use a rinse. throughout the day, i try to brush after eating and occasionally rinse again if needed. if i want to ensure clean breath for awhile, i use the hydrogen peroxide solution with my hydrofloss. is it safe to use HP this often? (sometimes 2x a day, and daily)

i have also used an antibiotic rinse (a 2 week course) from an oravital clinic (first went to a clinic about 7 or so years ago, and go back every so often.. it is also where i get my chlorhexidine rinse from since you need a prescription for it in canada). it's basically a rinse made with flagyl / metronidazole and i think maybe nystatin too. i think this is why my bb is under control so it is only usually mild now (but still annoying to have!). however, i fear i have been developing more of a resistance to it lately (last time i was on the 2-week course, my bb returned after i stopped using the rinse). apparently, they also have a tetracycline rinse for those who find the flagyl / metronidazole stops working. haven't tried it yet though. anyway, all this other stuff i explained above is maintenance.. i believe it is the antibiotic rinse that initially helped lower the bad bacteria in my mouth to a more manageable level. it's not any sort of cure, but it helps me maintain a better condition in my mouth than if i hadn't tried it. i just have to keep up with maintenance.. and i also have off days and on days (not sure why.. though i think factors like stress, hormones, etc. play a role).

i am going to start on a new course of streptococcus salivarius K12 probiotic soon (maybe after getting the antibiotic rinse again to use for 2 weeks - last time i used it was last fall). i tried this recently and it worked for the first few days, but then didn't seem to work anymore.. but it got rid of my tongue coating while i was using it. i still have faith that probiotics is a good thing to use because of oral bacteria imbalance. i was told by someone at the oravital head office (i emailed them to ask) that using the probiotic on a continuous basis is not a good idea because it can sometimes lead to imbalance.. so they recommend a 3-day course every month.

i might also try a saline solution (it's salt & water, right?) with a neti pot too to deal with any PND issues.

Have you ever had any treatment on the areas where your gums are diseased?

It made me cringe to read your post because if the underlying health of your gums is good, you should never need anything more than gentle brushing and flossing (or irrigation) with a manual toothbrush.

This is assuming that your BB is due to your gum problems of course.

i think my bb is due to gum disease and bacterial imbalance. i have had the gum disease treated so it's not necessarily active gum disease anymore, but because i have pockets now (the worst is at 6mm, i think.. but most are 4mm, some 5mm), it is really hard for me to keep clean below the gum line now and i think bacteria just get down there. i go to my dentist for scaling every 3 months, and occasionally, they will spot treat any problem areas. basically, once you have gum disease, you are very susceptible to it again (due to the deeper pockets) and so your treatment becomes about maintenance. i don't know if this is different for those who have received gum surgery though (assuming it closes your pockets to a normal depth?).

i do remember being about 13 years old and having a friend back away from me though while in class (i am in my early 30s now).. so it's not just from gum disease. i wish it was because it would be easier to deal with and "cure".

a periodontist that i saw told me that sometimes, gum disease is just due to genetics. i've always been super meticulous about my oral hygiene (ever since i wore braces as a teenager), even before i knew i had gum disease or bb.

what about it makes you cringe?