Halitosis (chronic bad breath) can be a huge blow to your self-confidence and quality of life. Close interactions with other people can become embarrassing when obvious foul odors are emanating from your mouth. You might find yourself completely avoiding conspiratorial conversations, hugs, and smooches with your significant other. There may be times where you don’t realize you have bad breath, and the look on someone’s face when you speak closely to them tells you the sad but true story. What do you do? Gum and mints, and even brushing your teeth only offer temporary solutions for bad breath. North Richland Hills dentist, Dr. Steven M. Huffstutler, explains a study that pinpoints the most effective mouthrinses for fighting bad breath.

Bad Breath Causes

Just as with periodontal disease and tooth decay, germs in your mouth are responsible for most cases of chronic bad breath. These bacteria collect on your tongue, and produce hydrogen sulphide and other sulphur compounds. These smell similar to rotten eggs, and aren’t a great way to win friends and influence people. Brushing your tongue every day and using a tongue scraper can help lessen bad breath, but attacking bacteria that have populated the furthest back sections of the strongest muscle in your body can be difficult. For those with a sensitive gag reflex, targeting germs on the back of the tongue can be practically impossible.

Antibacterial Mouthrinses

Mouthrinses are classified in two separate categories: those which completely kill bacteria, and those that simply mask odors in your mouth. A research study conducted by a team of Cochrane Researchers focused on five separate clinical trials with 293 volunteer participants. Antibacterial mouthrinses such as chlorhexidine and cetylpyridinium proved to be significantly more effective than placebo mouthwashes in terms of reducing or eliminating bad breath. Mouthrinses made from chlorine dioxide and zinc were also quite effective in neutralizing odor, but did not offer long term solutions for halitosis. This makes sense, since the bacteria are still present after the pleasant smell from the mouthwash wears off.

Visit your North Richland Hills Dentist

Whether you want to restore the beauty and function of missing or compromised teeth or you’re simply looking for a dentist’s office to call home, Dr. Steven M. Huffstutler and his caring team are here for you. We focus on exceptional dentistry for adults, with a keen focus on highly esthetic restorations and the treatment of painful TMJ disorder. To schedule your next appointment, call our North Richland Hills dentist office at 817-918-3038. North Hills Dental proudly serves patients from across the Metroplex, including Fort Worth, Dallas, Denton, the Midcities, and Southlake.