NW Calgary Orthodontist – Dr. Cory Liss – spends his days helping patients improve their dental health and smile.  Helping patients achieve a higher level of dental health includes offering tips on good oral hygiene that not only keeps a patient looking good – but smelling good too!

Fresh Breath is a great reward for keeping your braces, teeth and tongue squeaky clean – but for some people it doesn’t matter how many times they brush during the day, or swish with some magical mouthwash, fresh breath continues to elude them – forcing them to shy away from social interactions and intimate moments.  Bad breath, or Halitosis, can occur from time-to-time or be a chronic problem – caused by various habits and/or conditions – this annoying and embarrassing issue can be prevented by paying attention to:

• Poor Dental Hygiene – did you know that the average person brushes for just forty-eight seconds instead of the required two minutes? Rushing your brushing is a guaranteed way of spoiling your fresh breath, especially when wearing orthodontic braces.  Orthodontic Braces – though great at moving teeth to create a beautiful smile – provide the perfect hiding place for food remnants.  When teeth and braces aren’t brushed properly; food particles that are left around brackets rot and cause unpleasant odors that only get more intense as the amount of food remnants increase.  Brushing and flossing your teeth several times during the day will ensure that plaque and food are cleaned from tooth surfaces and around orthodontic wires and brackets.  Taking your time to brush effectively is often the missing piece of the puzzle, as it’s only by angling the brush correctly and brushing slowly that surfaces can be cleaned thoroughly.

Remember – don’t rush when you brush.

• Health Problems – chronic conditions like sinusitis, dry mouth, thrush and diabetes can cause a patient to battle with bad breath.  Systemic diseases like diabetes can cause a person to have a permanent ‘fruity’ odor caused by fluctuating blood-sugar levels.  Dry mouth, which is caused by certain medications, mouth-breathing and lack of salivary flow is a big contributor to funky mouth odors as the lack of moisture alters the ph. level of oral tissues.  However, there are a lot of dental products available that addresses dry mouth – and can be found at your local drug or grocery store. Wearing orthodontic braces may exacerbate dry mouth – so being proactive about brushing and rinsing with products formulated to help this condition will help control any bad breath concerns.
• Dental Decay – decaying tissue not only causes breath issues but can cause a patient to deal with a bad taste in the mouth.  Infection can be a symptom of dental decay and the infected tissue causes the bad taste and odor.  If orthodontic brackets are not kept adequately clean a patient is at risk for developing decay around the brackets.  Again, thorough and consistent brushing and flossing keeps brackets clean and helps reduce a patient’s risk of developing dental decay – and funky breath!

Wondering if you need to brush-up on your brushing technique – contact Cory Liss Orthodontics today and let this Calgary Orthodontic Team help you keep your teeth clean and your smile bright.

Welcoming New Patients 403.287.0746 – no referral required.