Like tooth decay, another common oral health problem around the world is halitosis, or what is commonly known as bad breath.

According to statistics, as much as one in every four Americans experience this problem. One time many people tend to experience bad breath is following oral surgery. 

While popping those breath mints and practice of good oral hygiene should be enough to keep your breath fresh. It is still important to know what causes that stinky breath after oral surgery because it can indicate a larger problem going on.

Bleeding After Oral Surgery

If you recently had a tooth extracted, you might notice your breath isn’t its freshest after surgery. The reason bad breath and oral surgery go hand in hand is from the bleeding. If you notice your breath stinks and you’re still bleeding, it might be helpful to drink extra water. However, if your bleeding doesn’t slow down, we suggest contacting our dental office for assistance.

Dry Socket

Another reason why your breath might stink after oral surgery is if you have a dry socket instead of a normal blood clot. Patients who smoke, spit, rinse, or drink through a straw after an extraction, they’re more likely to get a dry socket. Dry sockets usually result in severe pain and bad breath. If you think you have a dry socket, please contact our dental office. 

Infection

If you’re not healing well after your oral surgery and the wound becomes infected, this can also cause bad breath after oral surgery. Signs of an infection include bad breath, fever, pus, and severe pain. If you show any signs of infection, please contact us immediately for treatment. 

Poor Oral Hygiene

Poor oral hygiene is the number one cause of bad breath. It’s also a cause of bad breath after mouth surgery. If you don’t brush your teeth well, plaque can accumulate and harden into tartar. The rough surface of tartar promotes further plaque accumulation. In addition, you’ll also have food stuck between your teeth that can rot over time. 

The numerous bacteria in plaque combined with the rotting bits of food in your mouth cause the unpleasant odor.

Since you recently had oral surgery, you might avoid certain areas of your mouth when you brush. When you do this, the bacteria will begin to form and then cause bad breath. 

Practicing good oral hygiene is the only solution in this case. Be sure to brush your teeth every after a meal, and go to your dentist regularly for a check-up and professional cleaning.

Dry Mouth

Dry mouth, or what dentists call xerostomia, is caused by reduced salivary flow. It can be due to smoking, medications, problems with the salivary glands, or even sleeping with your mouth wide open. In the case of oral surgery, it’s fairly common to experience dry mouth from the pain medications you take.

The saliva is the mouth’s natural cleanser, given its ability to wash away bacteria and their acids. If your mouth is dry, bacteria can accumulate and the acids they generate can cause tooth decay. And needless to say, a decayed tooth does not smell so good.

Once you stop taking your pain medications, your dry mouth will resolve itself but in the meantime, we recommend increasing your daily water intake. 

For more tips and advice on how to prevent or eliminate bad breath, check out this article.

If you notice ongoing bad breath after mouth surgery, we highly recommend contacting our San Diego dental office for assistance. Bad breath is usually a sign of a problem in your mouth. Please call (619) 656-6785 today to schedule an appointment with Dr. Safarian.

The post Bad Breath 101: Identifying the Causes of this Oral Surgery Malady appeared first on Lovebites Dental.

You’ve learned from our Previous articles that cancer treatment in San Diego puts a patient at risk for various oral complications but don’t worry we provided best oral surgery & root canals. You’ve also known that a dental visit prior to the scheduled treatment is a must if you want to prevent or at least minimize the severity of these complications. But you should know that as a patient, there’s also something you can do to take care of your mouth while undergoing treatment. Here are some of the top tips that you can follow:

Dry Mouth

You can take sugar-free candy or chew sugar-free gum. It is also advised that you rinse your mouth as often as you can with plain water. Avoid alcohol-containing mouth rinses. You may also opt for saliva substitutes. Ask your dentist about them.

Pain and Discomfort

Your dentist or physician will prescribe medications to help alleviate pain resulting from mouth sores. Be sure to follow the recommended dose and proper dosage times. You will also be advised to choose soft, smooth, and easy-to-swallow foods.

Bleeding

If your gums hurt and bleed during brushing or flossing, you may want to get a new toothbrush with soft bristles. Of if you already have one, you can also dip it in warm water to further soften its bristles. With regards to flossing, you can continue doing it as long you don’t floss the areas that are swollen and/or bleeding.

Sore Mouth and/or Throat

Make a warm saline rinse by adding ¼ teaspoon each of salt and baking soda to four cups of warm water. Swish around the mouth for about 30 seconds then spit out. Rinse with plain water.

Jaw Stiffness

Exercising your jaw muscles for a couple of minutes per day can help reduce this problem. Open and close your mouth as wide as you possibly can without discomfort. Repeat 15 to 20 times, three times a day.

Vomiting

Stir a ¼ teaspoon of baking soda in a cup of warm water. Swish around your mouth for a couple of seconds before spitting it out. Avoid brushing your teeth right away; instead, rinse with plain water first.

Infections

Only your dentist or physician can address this problem, so you have to report to them immediately if you notice any bleeding, swelling, or presence of a white, sticky film on your mouth.

Tooth Decay

Your teeth tend to be more susceptible to tooth decay during cancer treatment due to decreased salivary flow. To reduce your risk of developing tooth decay, always brush your teeth after meals and at night before going to sleep. Your dentist may also recommend applying fluoride gel on your teeth to make them stronger more resistant to acid attacks by oral bacteria.

When to Call Your Dentist or Cancer Specialist

Take time to check your mouth each day to identify or detect any suspicious changes. Call your dentist and/or cancer specialist when a new problem appears, an old problem worsens, or even the mere presence of any suspicious findings.

The post Top Tips for Alleviating Oral Complications from Cancer Treatment appeared first on Lovebites Dental.

With more than a million cases of cancer diagnosed every year, it is very likely that you’ll encounter some cancer patients in your practice. The treatment received by these patients can affect all tissues in the body, including oral tissues; thus, the risk of oral side effects are high.

Most of these side effects can affect the patient’s quality of life, sometimes so debilitating that it causes them to tolerate only lower doses of the therapy, reschedule treatment, or stop treatment altogether. Below is a list of oral side effects common to the two most common cancer treatments – chemotherapy and radiation therapy – along with complications specific to each one and oral surgery & root canals can also help you.

Oral Complications of Chemotherapy

The two most common side effects of chemotherapy alone are bleeding and neurotoxicity. Bleeding is due to decreased amount of platelets and clotting factors, both of which result from bone marrow depression.

Neurotoxicity, on the other hand, pertains to a persistent, deep burning pain that mimics a toothache but the source cannot be found or identified. This side effect is observed mostly in a group of drugs known as vinca alkaloids.

Oral Complications of Radiotherapy

Radiotherapy, meanwhile, causes side effects like radiation caries, trismus, tissue fibrosis, and osteonecrosis. Radiation caries may start to develop and show up within three months of completing radiotherapy.

It is most often due to change in the quality and/or quantity of saliva. Tissue fibrosis and trismus, on the other hand, are related since fibrosis results to loss of elasticity of the jaw muscles which in turn limits the ability to open the mouth.

Osteoradionecrosis or bone tissue death is one of the worst adverse effects of radiotherapy. It occurs as a result compromised blood supply and the poor healing ability of traumatized bone. It is often observed in patients who receive high doses of radiotherapy.

Oral Complications of Chemotherapy and Radiotherapy

Needless to say, if chemotherapy and radiotherapy are combined, there will be even more side effects, but not necessarily worse. Not all of these side effects are as serious as the ones we’ve discussed above.

Some of the relatively less serious side effects include oral mucositis, xerostomia (dry mouth), taste alterations, abnormal tooth development, and infection.

Oral mucositis refers to the ulceration of the mucous membranes. It can sometimes lead to ulcerations which, in turn, can cause pain, infection, and compromised nutrition.

Xerostomia, on the other hand, pertains to reduced, thickened, or totally absent salivary flow. With decreased saliva, one’s risk for dental caries and other oral infections is increased. It can also lead to difficulty in speaking, chewing, and swallowing.

Taste alterations cause a change in the perception of taste. It ranges from unpleasant taste to complete loss of taste. Abnormal tooth development, meanwhile, occurs when the patient is subject to high-dose radiotherapy and chemotherapy before the age of nine.

Lastly, infection results from bone marrow depression and, as previously mentioned, from oral mucositis and xerostomia.

Thus, oral health care in San Diego prior, during, and following the treatment is important to help prevent or at least reduce these complications. By consulting your dentist, identification of existing oral health problems can be identified and managed promptly, allowing you to complete your cancer treatment and get the most out of it.

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