Bad Breath and GingivitisDoes this sound familiar to you? My dentist and hygienist mentioned that I had irritated gums as they cleaned my teeth. This is a symptom of gingivitis.
Gingivitis can be a stepping stone to major problems in
mouth and gum line. It can lead to periodontal disease, which is a much more serious problem with potential for actual bone loss.
Halitosis (bad breath) could be related to a gingivitis infection as both are caused by bacteria. Red, swollen and/or bleeding gums characterize gingivitis. These symptoms are most evident upon flossing and sometimes from brushing.
Bacteria cause gingivitis. And bacteria are considered to be responsible for bad breath.
Sometimes, I could even see bloodstains that hygienist quietly wiped away with a towel. It was embarrassing enough to know that I wasn't controlling my gingivitis problem, but to know that she was actually trying not to make a bid deal out of it was troubling.
I knew my dentist was concerned because she gave me a bottle of alcohol based mouthwash to try and mentioned that she wanted to see how I looked next time. I don't like using it; there is too much alcohol and taste is not very pleasant.
Alcohol may also dry mucous membranes in mouth.
The Problem
Bacteria can stick to your teeth and secrete acid onto them contributing to cavity formation. They can also infect gums, particularly around gum line, causing gingivitis. This can manifest initially as bleeding and irritated gums.
Having a lot of uncontrolled bacteria multiplying in mouth may also lead to bad breath, but there is a natural and normal amount of bacteria in mouth, and you will never completely get rid of them all, nor would you want to.
Theory has it that it is actually anaerobic bacteria that live in tongue and throat that produce sulfur that in turn produce hard to get rid of bad breath. These anaerobes create VSCs or volatile sulfur compounds. One type is familiar rotten egg smell. There are other odors coming from VSCs as well. These sulfur-producing bacteria may feed on certain foods, like coffee, alcohol and meats.
A gingivitis problem can offer a way for bacteria to easily enter your blood stream and that can lead to additional problems. Systemic infections could come from this. Gingivitis can be something that makes your gums bleed easily in a mild case or it can be root of deep gum recession, leading to bone loss in worse case scenarios. (Periodontal disease)
