Halitosis or bad breath is typically caused by bacteria in the mouth, decayed food particles and bad oral hygiene. It can also occur in people who have a medical infection, diabetes, kidney failure, or liver malfunction. Even stress, dieting, snoring and hormonal changes can have an effect on the breath. Certain food like very spicy food such as garlic and onions and drinks like coffee may be detected on someone’s breath for up tp 72 hours. The no- carbohyderate diets increases chances of halitosis. One of the major functions of saliva is to wash away the odor causing bacteria. In our Seattle cosmetic Dentistry office we can evaluate the saliva flow and check the integrity of it in keeping the odor-causing ingredients under control.

Regular checkups will detect any systemic causes of halitosis and also helps to get rid of the plaque and bacteria. Flossing an brushing are two basic ways of fighting bad odor. Tongue harbors a lot of bacteria as well. Use tongue scrapers to clean the tongue. In addition be sure to drink plenty of water. Try to chew sugar-free gum that contains xylitol. If you have dentures, retainers or other dental appliances make sure you thoroughly clean them before putting them in your mouth. Avoid mouth washes that have alcohol as their main ingredient.

One of our patients the other day quoted what she had heard from another dental office: “the three important factors in a design of a smile are the shape, shade and the color of the teeth”. There are a number of dental professionals that practice cosmetic dentistry but there are only a handful that are accredited cosmetic dentists. which means these cosmetic dental designs has been evaluated by an international panel. Smile is dynamic and it is a simplication to call three factors of shade, shape and color as determinant of a smile. A smile in our office is determined on the dynamic state of smile, laughter and speech.