Please Help With Bad Breath

by Roni
(Kansas City)

I have had bad breath for a long time now. I brush my teeth at least twice a day, and I floss regularly. Every six months, I go for a checkup and cleaning. At my last visit, the doctor told me that I have gum recession. Also the x-rays show that I have a couple of wisdom teeth inside my gums. He also said I need a filling in one of my teeth. I don't know what to do. Please help.

Gary's Response: Hi Roni - I'm going to assume that it's the bad breath with which you want help. It's great that you brush twice a day. However, if your toothpaste contains Sodium Lauryl Sulfate, or SLS, as most do, then brushing your teeth may actually worsen your bad breath. Toothpastes which contain SLS contribute to dry mouth, which leads to bad breath, and canker sores.

For more information and for some great tips, please read my article, Fourteen Guidelines To Help You Prevent Bad Breath. Reading this article will give you a better understanding of what causes bad breath and how you can avoid it. You'll also understand why I recommend TheraBreath products to my readers. In your case, I would start with the basic TheraBreath Toothpaste and Oral Rinse, which you can order here. For additional protection throughout the day, TheraBreath offers a variety of chewing gum and mints containing the same active ingredient as the toothpaste and oral rinse.

Please post back if you have additional questions or to let us know how it's going.

Gary