With all the different contributing factors of bad breath one thing is certain, good oral hygiene is imperative in helping to control your breath.  If you think you have bad breath seek treatment, once you can pin point the cause or source of your bad breath the success is more attainable

Part One: Bacteria and Oral malodor

There are numerous bacteria present in the mouth.  

The different species of bacteria are essential in keeping the oral flora balanced in the oral cavity.  It is important to have some bacteria in the mouth although not all bacteria are good.  Once the bacteria break down and die they produce gases called Volatile sulfur compounds (VSC).  If not removed,  these compounds continue to accumulate and combined with the air from the mouth will cause a malodor.  

VSC’s are toxic to oral tissues and can cause periodontal disease, irritation to oral tissue, and bad breath.  Bacteria can accumulate anywhere in the mouth.  The teeth, inside of the checks, and gums are some places bacteria can accumulate therefore it is necessary to keep these areas clean by brushing and flossing. Due to its rough surface and crevices, the tongue is the most common place for bacteria to be deposited.  Thus creating large amounts of sulfur compounds causing bad breath.  Simply brushing the tongue with a tooth brush will not dispose of the bacteria imbedded deep into the crevices of the tongue but will only move the bacteria around.  As Dr. Mel Babot DDS. States: the key is mechanical removal by using a “rake like” tongue scraper to reach in and remove the debris from the tongue.

The absence of saliva can also cause bad breath by promoting more anaerobic bacteria to accumulate in the mouth.  Read more about this topic in the following section entitled, “Oral dryness and bad breath".

Part Two: Oral Dryness And Bad Breath

One of the leading causes of oral malodor can come from xerostomia.  Xerostomia better known as dry mouth is a common occurrence in many people.  One of the contributing factors to dry mouth is medication such as certain heart medication, antidepressants. Some of the most common types of drugs that can cause dry mouth are-Decongestants, Diuretics, Antidepressants, Antihistamines, Antispasmatics, and Puffers.  Stress, smoking, and age are also things that can cause xerostomia. 

Saliva is a very important bodily function.  Saliva washes out the mouth of food debris, sugars, and bacteria.  Without saliva food cannot be easily washed away therefore staying on your teeth longer causing possible plaque build up, thus leading to tooth decay and possibly gum disease and ultimately causing a foul odor from your mouth.  Bacteria need to be constantly washed away.  Without saliva, bacteria will stay in the gums, between teeth, and on the dorsal surface of the tongue.  These bacteria will then break down and produce volatile sulfur compounds resulting in irritation of the tissues and bad breath.

The first step to try and teat bad breath is to eliminate the source. Although sometimes the answer is not that easy if the cause of xerostomia is age or medication.  Therefore keeping your mouth clean and using mechanical techniques for getting rid of debris with a tongue scraper and toothbrush are of the utmost importance.  Using alcoholic based mouthwashes like scope or Listerine are detrimental with someone with dry mouth; it can cause further xerostomia and even further irritation.  Ask your Denturist for what is best for you to use.  Some examples are Biotene and Oxyfresh.

Part Three: Are My Dentures The Source of My Bad Breath?

As we know, bacteria that accumulates on the tongue or in other places in the mouth produce sulfur compounds which leads to bad breath.  Bacteria can also accumulate on the surface or even within the denture.  Microscopically, dentures have a porous surface allowing bacteria to enter and therefore, dentures must be cleaned everyday and rinsed between every meal to minimize the accumulation of bacteria.  Scratches in the denture are an ideal place for bacteria to accumulate.

Toothpastes like Crest or Colgate are made for use on natural teeth, and they are much too abrasive for dentures, thus producing scratches. To try to avoid scratches in your denture, use non-abrasive cleaning products such as liquid soap, polident denture paste, Oxyfresh non-fluoride toothpaste, soaking tablets or liquid denture cleaners such as Dentanet. With time odors can  stay strapped  in the denture causing it to smell and giving the denture wearer bad breath.

Here is a little test to see if it is your denture that is causing your bad breath.

Remove your denture, rinse them under water, and place it into a zip lock baggie.  Let it sit for five minutes and then open the bag a little and smell.  The odor you smell is what other people can smell.  Sometimes the odor is impossible to remove and a new denture is needed.  The average life of a denture is between 5 to 7 years.  Call your denturist for an appointment if you think your denture is causing your bad breath.

If you would like to find out more about Beswick Denture Clinic or the Beswick Footcare Clinic, simply go to their comprehensive web site at the following link>>>>

Sole Mates Family Footwear now has two locations in the City of Greater Sudbury . The first store opened in the Hanmer Valley Shopping Centre in the spring of 2003. The decision to expand to Downtown Sudbury was based on several factors.

  “Our philosophy at Sole Mates Family Footwear is based on the fact that we want to establish a long-term relationship with each of our customers. We are not interested in a ‘one-time’ sale. We want our customers to come back to us on a continuous basis, so we give them personalized service and pay particular attention to their individual footwear needs,” explained Cousins. “During the first couple of years we noticed that a growing number of our regular customers were coming from Sudbury . Therefore, I began to look for available sites in Sudbury in order to provide a more convenient location for customers who lived outside of the communities of Valley East and Capreol.”

According to Cousins, the Rainbow Centre offered everything he was looking for in a second location. “The Rainbow Centre has become one of the most popular shopping centers in the City of Greater Sudbury . The management is committed to improving the shopping experience for customers of all ages and it’s overall image has been revitalized as a result of the opening of the Hart Department Store. This is an ideal location for the kind of service we provide to our own customers. The Rainbow Centre is right beside the Public Transit Terminal; it is in the middle of a high density downtown residential area; it is within walking distance of several hotels and motels; and it is in the heart of the downtown business district which contains thousands of office workers from the entire City of Greater Sudbury . On top of that, there is free parking for our customers and I was able to secure one of the prime locations within the Rainbow Centre.”

The initial response from the public since the opening of Sole Mates Family Footwear in the Rainbow Centre has been overwhelming. “Even I didn’t expect the immediate results we are receiving. Everybody we have spoken to is extremely impressed with the layout, the selection, the quality and most of all, the personal service. We will continue to go out of our way to completely satisfy the needs of every one of our customers. Whether you are visiting from out of town, or you are a life-long resident of the Greater Sudbury Area, you can rest assured that you will be given the special treatment you deserve at Sole Mates Family Footwear. That is our guarantee and it is something you can count on.”

For more information please contact Rob Cousins at (705) 969-7549 or (705) 675-7613. You can also visit our web site at www.solematesfamilyfootwear.ca.

   When VoIP (Voice over Internet Technology) was first introduced to Sudbury , Edgar saw this as the future of communication and immediately jumped on board; studying everything there is to know about the technology. As a result, he formed another division of his company, called VCCNet.ca Internet Solutions, which deals with long-distance discount calling and the use of the internet for communication purposes.

   Edgar has joined forces with another locally owned firm, Infocom Canada Business Consultants Inc. which operates Valley East Today, a marketing & public relations company which publishes a community web site and weekly online news magazine.

    “The cost of long distance calling has always been a detriment to people living in the north,” Edgar explained when asked why he feels so strongly about the communication services he now provides to the community. “I know so many of my friends and acquaintances who have children or parents living in other parts of Ontario . They would love the chance to talk to them more often by phone, but long distance charges really cut into the budget; especially for seniors who would love to talk to grandchildren, or parents who have children away at university or college.”

   “Once people find out how easy it is to switch over to my plan, and they realize that there is absolutely no risk or long-term commitment – that all they get is the freedom to talk on the phone to anyone in Ontario for as long as they want for one low price of $15.95 a month, they are sold,” Edgar went on.

   Edgar also repairs and programs individual computers for both commercial and residential use. You can drop in and see him at his office in the Hanmer Valley Shopping Centre, or he will come directly to your home or office.

   Whatever you are looking for, give Edgar a call at 670-4039 or you can go to his web site at www.vccnet.ca and see how he can meet your needs.