FAQ

What is the cause of bad breath?
Aside from some advanced health problems that could lead to the biochemical byproducts entering the bloodstream and exhaled by the lungs, most of the time it is the bacteria in your mouth that cause the distinctive foul smell called halitosis. Some other conditions related to the sinuses or tonsils also can also produce the bad breath but halitosis is our everyday enemy that is hard to confuse with anything else. Certain medications, alcohol, smoking and some foods may worsen the situation. It's a good idea to check with your physician before you come to see us for consultation.

How to get rid of bad breath?
The bacteria in your mouth hides deep inside the gums advancing via root's surfaces down to the bone that supports teeth and creating focal points of chronic infection. Proper diagnostics early is essential. Undiagnosed problem gets worse year after year. To get rid of bad breath means to get rid of the bacteria that cause it. Our special program helps to accomplish this goal by combining the initial therapy with new concept of home care and nutritional support. There are several layers in this approach but for some people just a special toothpaste and mouth rinse containing chlorine dioxide - a well-known antiseptic - works. Also, if you have a heavy bacterial build up on the back of the tongue you might benefit from scraping it off. We've created a simple and inexpensive antibacterial basic kit for home care that might be good for you. It can be purchased on line or by calling our office. Or you may prefer to call for a free initial consultation and consider getting on our treatment program. It brought relief to a lot of people and it will help you too.

Is the result permanent?
The proliferation of certain bacteria changes the ecosystem in your mouth. The balance is shifted toward the aggressive type of bacteria that give you bad breath. Our patients feel relief after the treatment and most of them notice the change even before it is finished. However, it takes consistent effort to reverse this unbalanced ecosystem around. That requires your commitment to the effective home care and regular maintenance. Sticking to the individually designed home hygiene protocol you'll get consistently better as the non-aggressive types of bacteria restore the ecosystem. Staying healthy is also significant because like in every other disease - a good immune system is important.

Can the mouth infection cause some other health problems?
This disease is proven to be contagious (kissing) and bacteria gets easily into you blood stream damaging vital organs and even potentially contributing to the heart attacks and strokes. There is a published literature related to this subject. It is a whole new understanding of this disease.

Why brushing and flossing would not eliminate bad breath?
For a lot of people it seems inconceivable that they would have bad breath originated in their mouth - after all you brush you teeth. But bacteria, which accumulate around the teeth, start their harmful work between them especially in the back where it is hard to reach and where very few people floss. The underlying problem ofbad breath is the bacterial infection. The bacterial toxin works on pulling off the gums from the teeth allowing the bacteria to advance very deep. No floss, or brush, or mouthwash can get deep inside. Actually, these affected sites are just like the chronic wounds and if they are not properly cared for the process never stops and only gets worse. Our goal is to halt the progression of this disease and to eliminate your bad breath. The effective program that we've designed integrates for you all the necessary components of treatment and the follow up care.

Why gum surgery often doesn't help?
Usually the rationale behind gum surgery is to open the infected areas inside the gums and to access the hidden parts of teeth and bone. It is like lifting the curtains if you want to clean your windows thoroughly. The problem is that people skip after surgery the most important part - regular maintenance. If you've cleaned up your neglected weedy garden you'll see the weeds will grow wildly again soon unless you keep coming back repeatedly and control it. What makes the difference in our program and why it works is because we strictly conform to the follow up care. And we rarely have to resort to the gum surgery. Not only we teach our patient about everyday oral hygiene but we also support the instructions with special appliances and antibacterial products for better tooth cleaning and irrigation. Your new and effective daily routine is easy to follow and it lives you mouth and your teeth pleasantly clean and fresh. The best part is that you do not have to recourse to mints and gum.

Are ceramic (white) fillings better then silver fillings?
The silver filling is, in fact, not made from silver. They represent a blend (amalgam) of several metals, which hardens after they are mixed together with mercury. Therefore, mercury makes about half of the "silver filling". In the past the common belief was that after the mixture is hardened it becomes a new substance. It turned out that mercury continues to evaporate from these fillings every time you chew, or drink hot beverage. The effect of the mercury on human body is well known - mercury is a heavy metal poison leading to many health problems. Is the amount of the mercury evaporating from the silver fillings enough to have an effect on general health? This remains the subject of many debates and controversies. In some countries the use of such material is forbidden and in the US the scrap from this fillings considered to be an environmental hazard. Without taking sides in those debates we invite you to study this issue and come to your own conclusions.

The ceramic fillings, on another hand, esthetically pleasant, blend with your teeth and are made from a very strong polymers or porcelain. Sculptured either directly on your tooth in one office visit or custom produced in the lab they are not only beautifully replicate the original shape of your tooth but also are retained by the process called bonding. This process allows connecting firmly together the ceramic replacements with your tooth that is being restored. What is also very special is the fact that unlike the silver fillings this process includes the creation of a tough layer on the prepared surface hermetically sealing your tooth from bacteria that can again cause the tooth decay. For almost two-decades we have not been using mercury contained filling. We maintain safe and mercury free environment in our office. Instead we've been pioneering and perfecting ceramic replacements that gives you many advantages.

Is the bleaching teeth safe procedure?
Bleaching of the teeth is achieved by exposing them to the well-known product - hydrogen peroxide in concentration from 3% to 12%. Hydrogen peroxide is the final product of any bleaching agents regardless of its name and of how this agent is activated: by light, by laser, by heat etc. Higher concentrations are used only in the office; lower concentrations are safe to use at home under dentist's supervision. The free atom of oxygen that breaks away from H₂O₂ molecule does the job working on the enamel and dentine of the tooth making them lighter.

Not all teeth would bleach equally well. Gray shaded or affected by tetracycline teeth are responding very poorly to bleaching and the result may not be what you expect at all. Yellow teeth respond to bleaching the best. The process takes from two to four and more weeks with home bleaching and brings dramatic changes to your appearance. Usually, as time goes by, you may experience some change in the brightness but only slightly. It is recommended to maintain the brightness of bleached teeth by applying the bleaching gel once a month overnight.

You may experience increased sensitivity of the teeth that can be controlled by your dentist.

Overall, bleaching teeth under dentist's supervision is a safe and rewarding procedure.