Having bad breath is a special kind of torture.

It the kind of affliction that you really can’t detect in yourself with any kind of certainty, and you won’t meet too many people who are willingly going to tell you “hey, you’re kind of stinky.”

Well, you might, but they’re either really good friends or very mean strangers.

Secret bad breath might only be a secret to you, causing people to avoid close talk and whispered conversations of any kind. You might have noticed this, and labeling the resulting feeling as “embarrassing” is a massive understatement.

So, you might be asking, is there a way to tell if I actually have bad breath?

The answer is yes!

There are a few different ways, some more discrete than others, but we’ll start with the first, sure fire way for you to get an answer.

Ask a Friend

Comfortable?

Absolutely not.

Effective?

Absolutely.

The most reliable way to get the answer you need is ask a close friend you trust. If you can get over the initial embarrassment of asking them to confirm or deny that the air that you breathe out of your mouth is offensive, then this is a great strategy.

The fantastic thing is that even if they tried to lie, their face would probably reveal some mild distaste if your breath is truly bad.

And yes – this will probably lead to some embarrassment for a moment, but then you know you have something to visit your dentist about.

You’ll be on the road to fresh breath in no time!

The Lick Test

The following two “tests” are less reliable, but definitely more discrete.

If your stomach turns at the thought of asking someone for the honest truth, then maybe you should try out these simple methods that involve just you…

Make sure that your wrist is dry and free of any sort of lotion, perfume, or cologne.

Now, lick your wrist.

Wait 10 seconds.

Sniff.

Is it bad? Good? Neutral?

Chances are, if the smell on your wrist is not good, then your breath might need some work.

The Q-Tip Test

This test is similar, but it involves a cotton swab.

Take the Q-tip and run it along the inside of your cheeks and tongue.

Remove the Q-tip, and let it dry for several minutes.

Sniff, check, evaluate.

The Bottom Line

When it comes down to it, the only way to REALLY know if you have a problem is to try out method #1 and ask a friend.

The reason is this: we can’t really smell our own breath.

This is because our brains acclimate to the smells around us to help us better detect new smells. It’s a pretty cool trick, but not when it comes to our inability to tell if our house smells like cat pee or our breath might ruin our next date or a job interview.

Luckily, we’re here to help. If you are even a little self conscious about the scent of your breath, come see Dr. Chauvin in Lafayette. We’ll help you determine the cause and figure out an easy, effective way to get it minty fresh.

 

For countless people, going to the dentist is a wildly stressful event. This anxiety can range from a minor discomfort to a full on phobia. In fact, Colgate Oral Center estimates that about 9 to 15 percent of Americans avoid going to the dentist due to this fear. That translates to about 30 to 40 million people who will put up with painful, infected, and decaying teeth because they are so scared of what might happen in the dentist’s chair.

Whether you are on the low or high end of that anxiety spectrum, your fear might result in the avoidance of important appointments that are vital to your oral health. The negligence of a painful tooth could ironically result in much more discomfort than any procedure you will encounter in a dentist’s office.

So what’s behind the fear? And what can you do to move past it?

The Causes

Are we just born with an innate fear of the dentist, or is there a more specific cause? Peter Milgrom, DDS, director of the Dental Fears Research Clinic at the University of Washington in Seattle says that the majority of the fear is a result of a bad experience that took place at a past dental appointment. The remaining people feel this crippling anxiety as a symptom of other anxiety disorders, like post traumatic stress disorders related to domestic violence, abuse, combat, etc.

But what about those of us who just feel….slightly uncomfortable?

It’s not unusual, explains psychologist Ellen Rodino of Santa Monica, California. When you’re in the dentist’s chair, you are incredibly exposed. You are tilted backwards, mouth open, and another human is above you. For added discomfort, they talk to you while there are tools in your mouth.

So what does this amount to? For many, it’s a feeling of complete and total vulnerability and a lack of control.

Dealing with the Fear

Believe it or not, there are ways for people with even the most crippling fear to move past the phobia and get the dental treatment they need.

Here are some of the ways that great dentists help patients feel a stronger sense of control:

• They tell the patient exactly what they will feel and the duration of that feeling
• They ask the patient if it is okay to continue to the next step
• Patients have a cue they can give the dentist if they need the procedure or examination to stop
• Time is set aside for breaks

Another great way that dentists are helping nervous patients is by creating an environment that is less like a classic dentist’s office. Instead of decorating the waiting room with tabloids and unnerving photos of damaged teeth, dentists are creating a warmer environment that is much less “clinical.”

Jack Bynes, DMD, is a great example of a dentist committed to making people feel more comfortable. His office is in a historic building where guests can enjoy a waiting room with a fireplace and beautiful photography. The treatment room overlooks a waterfall, and the doctor himself chooses not to wear scrubs.

Well, we don’t have a waterfall here, but we do have some strategies we recommend that might help you get over that hurdle of anxiety:

• Bring someone with you to your appointment! This could be a friend or family member – just someone you trust
• Allow yourself to be distracted while you sit in the examination chair by listening to music or checking out our TV on the ceiling!
• Take deep, slow breaths to help calm your heartbeat and relax your muscles

 

At Chauvin Dental, can promise that we will make our best effort to make you as comfortable as possible. Our job is to help you achieve a beautiful, healthy smile, and we take that seriously. Give us a call today, and we can talk about making your next visit an anxiety-free experience.

 

Bad breath might very possibly be the most loathed and feared non life-threatening condition people deal with today. Nobody likes bad breath, least of all those who have to smell it on the uncomfortable close talker or the colleague whose egg salad stuck around hours after lunch ended. Almost everyone fears that they have it, and almost no one knows when they do.

If you are at least lucky enough to know that halitosis (the fancy name for bad breath) is a problem that you need to deal with, then there are two main courses of action to remedying the problem:

1. Improve your dental habits (brushing, flossing, etc)
2. Improve your diet

Most people know that better dental habits are a key to improving breath, but people are less aware of the potential impact diet has on the scent you give off. Though there is no conclusive evidence that specific foods results in horrendous breath, we can at least talk about some of the most widely believed causes of “dragonbreath.”

Foods Linked to Bad Breath:

• Dairy products (milk, cheese, yogurt)
• Coffee
• Garlic
• Onions
• Citrus juices (i.e. orange juice)
• Alcohol
• Foods high in sugar

There are a few problems that the above foods tend to cause. One issue is that some of them slow saliva production which is your body’s natural mechanism for flushing out bacteria and food residue. Other foods, like onions and garlic, are pungent and linger in the mouth long past the time they are eaten. Another issue is that foods high in sugar or with high acidity create an environment favorable to bacteria growth, also contributing to bad breath.

Foods Linked to Good Breath:

• Water
• Sugarless gum
• Apples and other food with crunch!

Increasing your water intake or chewing gum increases the amount of saliva the body produces, and this saliva is what helps to clean out your mouth and naturally remove bacteria. If you aren’t taking in enough water or producing enough saliva, then it is possible for that production to slow and for bacteria to build up and result in foul breath. That is why your breath in the morning is not pleasant – the body slows saliva production during the night, allowing for the build up of many unpleasant smelling bacteria. Another good habit is to eat foods with a crunch. For example, eating an apple can help remove the leftover food particles stuck in between the teeth whose decomposition never smell nice.

Overall, if you pay attention to the foods you eat and the care you take in the morning, throughout the day, and at night, then you should be on the path to fighting bad breath and ensuring general dental health. Bad breath shouldn’t be a barrier to your success or to your relationships, so do your best to figure out the best way to deal with the problem and live confidently!