Millions of people struggle with halitosis, or bad breath, despite daily teeth brushing. Here’s a checklist of procedures that can help eliminate the problem:

• Twice-daily brushing

• Daily flossing

• Tongue cleaning or brushing

• Regular professional cleanings

• Careful cleaning of any dentures or removable dental appliances

If your hygiene is meticulous and the problem persists, we can offer several options. First, we can provide a plastic tool called a tongue scraper that cleans away bacterial build-up on your tongue and significantly alleviates odor. Or, we can recommend a program which includes a special toothpaste and rinse that actually breaks the odor-causing sulfur bonds that cause bad breath. Finally, you could have a more serious problem such as a systemic or internal issue, an infection or underlying condition, as examples. If that’s the case, we may recommend a visit with your family physician or specialist to identify the cause.

It’s not desirable to have bleeding gums following brushing. However, the condition may or may not require attention and depends on the source of the problem. Bleeding gums can be caused by any of the following: improper or rough “scrubbing” instead of gentle, circular brushing motions; using a hard-bristled tooth brush instead of a soft one; plaque and/or tartar build-up below the gum line; or gum sensitivity due to gingivitis or periodontal disease. If this problem persists despite proper brushing and flossing, or if it occurs every time you brush, contact our office to set up a comprehensive evaluation appointment.

You are the most powerful influence on your child’s oral hygiene habits, so start your children off on the right tooth by setting a good example and establishing them with a dental home. We recommend parents bring children in for their first dental visit by his or her first birthday.*

We strive to make their first visit to the dentist fun and non-threatening. This provides us with an opportunity to spot and prevent any potential oral health/dental problems while also establishing a relationship with the child in anticipation of future visits.

*As recommended by the American Academy of Pediatric Dentists.

As Dr. Bouziden likes to say with a smile, “Only floss the teeth you want to keep!”

Daily flossing is truly critical for your overall oral health. Flossing loosens food particles in tight spaces that your toothbrush cannot reach, gets rid of plaque build-up that toothbrushes alone cannot remove, and exercises your gum tissues, all of which are necessary to avoid gum disease. Just think of daily flossing as the finishing touch after brushing, like insurance for the future of your smile!

An average healthy adult typically benefits from a professional cleaning and checkup every six months. However, every mouth is different and some people are prone to gum disease, bruxism or other ongoing oral health concerns that require more frequent visits. Others simply need a routine professional tartar removal at regular intervals. That’s why we’re very careful to conduct comprehensive evaluations in order to determine whether you need a checkup every two, three, four or six months.

To ensure we’re providing the appropriate professional cleaning for you, before we can recommend any dental procedure, including regular hygiene visits, more commonly called professional cleanings, we need to understand your medical and dental health history and the status of your current dental health. In order to do this, the dentist conducts a comprehensive evaluation.

Did you know there are at least four different types of dental cleanings, and our hygienists can deliver any of them? But we need to know what’s appropriate for you before they can get started.

Another reason to see Dr. Bouziden first is she will ultimately be responsible for your overall treatment. To meet that challenge, she will want to know what is important to you for your long-term dental health.