Why a Bad Breath Doctor Should Be Your Bad Breath Dentist

To measure not-so-supercala-fatalistic-exhaled-halitosis may mean seeking help from a bad breath doctor. But more than likely he or she will just do a simple sniff test and rate your breath on a scale of zero (no odor) to five (coma-inducing halitosis).

Bad breath doctors may also scrape your tongue with a plastic tool and sniff what they find there as well. It's not really rocket science yet. Technology improves every day though, and a bad breath dentist will get better tools. Eventually.

With the proper inducement, you might ask your partner, or a good friend to perform a simple breath sniff test at home and for free. Warning: Animated-Teeth.com tells us ancient cultures allowed partners to separate if a spouse had halitosis. So maybe you should consult professional bad breath doctors who don't really care if you washed last night's dishes or not.

Most of the time though, your bad breath doctor should really be your bad breath dentist.

If you seek technical analysis, find a bad breath dentist with a gas chromatograph, sulfide meter or chemiluminescence detector. Ultimately, these tongue-twisting devices only measure the badness of your breath, not cure the cause. Most bad breath doctors and dentists won't need these machines to clear your halitosis.

According to the Merck Manuals Online, 85 percent of halitosis patients have bacteria-loving mouth problems. Gingivitis or periodontal gum disease breed the bacteria, along with smoking and volatile foods. So if you actually seek a halitosis cure, go see a bad breath dentist, or any dentist, really.

Here's four ways to get the most accurate sniff tests possible from your bad breath doctor or dentist. The idea here is to fully expose your bad breath, not protect helping professionals from the stench.

1. Ask your bad breath doctor or dentist if you should reschedule your appointment if you've taken antibiotics in the last month, since these may reduce bacteria.
2. Avoid foods like onions and garlic for three days before you see your bad breath dentist. Their volatile oils stay in the bloodstream up to three days and release fumes from your lungs when you exhale.
3. Brush your teeth three hours before your bad breath dentist appointment. Don't put anything else in your mouth until after your appointment, including gum, breath mints, mouth washes and tobacco products.
4. Do not wear scented lotions, lip glosses or perfumes -these may mask halitosis from bad breath doctors during the sniff test.

Your bad breath doctor or dentist may ask questions about diet and medications; dental cleaning habits; snoring, allergies or sinus problems; and more. Bad breath doctors and dentists also ask about first symptoms and whether or not others notice your biting breath. Feel free to let your bad breath dentist or doctor know what you think causes your halitosis.

Some people suffer from halitosis for years before they consult bad breath doctors. Some try to mask their problems with gums, mints and mouth washes. Unfortunately, these only solve the problem for short periods - about 20 minutes.

If you'd really like to find the real cause of your halitosis, consult a dentist first. Your bad breath dentist can determine if the odors come from dental problems or other sources fairly quickly and, usually, non-invasively.

Need a bad breath dentist? Call us at 1-866-970-0441 for assistance. We'll be able to help you find a dentist to solve your problem quickly.