Breath & MouthGuide
Denture Cleanser Allergy: Keep the Packet and Check the Warning
Mouth irritation after denture cleaning needs a product check and clinical advice. Learn what a US cleanser label says and which symptoms need emergency help.
ArticlesTopic 08
Breath & Mouth
Bad breath, dry mouth and morning breath, and the quiet worry that someone can tell.
Breath & MouthEvidence check
Does Stress Cause Bad Breath? What Studies Show
Stress may change your breath. In a Brazilian study of 71 dental students, the sulfur gases behind bad breath rose on exam day and saliva flow fell. A lab stress test raised the same gases in men and women. And in an Iranian survey of 4,763 adults, people who felt anxious or stressed were more likely to think their breath smelled. Here is what the studies measured and what helps.
Breath & MouthEvidence check
Does Sugar-Free Gum Prevent Cavities? What Studies Show
Chewing sugar-free gum after meals is common advice. A review of 12 trials found people who chewed it got about 28% fewer new cavities than non-chewers, and xylitol gum did a little better. Related reviews found less plaque and fewer cavity-linked bacteria. The trials varied a lot and were of moderate quality, so the authors called the evidence tentative. Here is how to use gum sensibly.
Breath & MouthEvidence check
Does Vitamin B12 Help Canker Sores? What Trials Found
If canker sores keep coming back, vitamin B12 is worth knowing about. In a trial of 58 people, a daily 1,000 mcg B12 dose under the tongue for 6 months left 74% sore-free in the last month, against 32% on placebo, even in people with normal B12 levels. But a larger trial of a standard daily multivitamin found no benefit. Low B12 is also more common in people who get canker sores. Here is how to read it.
Breath & MouthEvidence check
Should You Rinse After Brushing Your Teeth? What Studies Show
UK dental advice says spit, don't rinse, so the fluoride stays on your teeth. The trials are less tidy than the advice. In a 3-year school trial in Lithuania, rinsing with water made no difference to new cavities. In a 2-year adult trial, a no-rinse routine combined with other changes cut new cavities between teeth by about two-thirds. Experts agree the evidence is limited but the advice is consistent. Here is the practical upshot.
Breath & MouthExplainer
Bad Breath From Postnasal Drip or a Sinus Infection: What Helps
Most bad breath starts in the mouth, but the nose and throat can play a part. At a large breath clinic, nose, throat and other non-mouth causes accounted for about 4% of cases. Postnasal drip and sinusitis both list bad breath as a symptom. Here is how to tell if your nose is the source, what helps, and when to see a doctor.
Breath & MouthThe short version
A Piece of Tooth Broke Off? Take the Fragment to the Dentist
Keep the broken piece in milk or your own saliva in a container while arranging dental care.
Breath & MouthComparison
Conventional or Adhesive Dental Bridge: What Happens to the Supporting Teeth?
Ask your dentist how the proposed bridge affects neighboring teeth and why that approach suits your mouth.
Breath & MouthEvidence check
Do Hormones Affect Your Gums? Periods, Pregnancy and Menopause
Hormones that rise and fall through a woman's life can change how strongly her gums react to plaque. In women who already had gum inflammation, bleeding was higher at menstruation and ovulation. About two-thirds of pregnant women have bleeding gums. After menopause, women with osteoporosis show a little more gum attachment loss. Plaque is still the main cause. Here is what each stage looks like and what to tell your dentist.
Breath & MouthEvidence check
Does Bad Breath Change With Your Period? What Studies Measured
Some women notice their breath seems worse at certain points in the month. In a survey of 1,089 women, about 12% thought their breath was tied to their cycle. Two small lab studies found sulfur gases rose around the period in one and at ovulation in women with gum disease in the other. Here is what they found and how to check your own pattern.
Breath & MouthEvidence check
Does Gum Disease Cause Bad Breath? What Studies Found
People with gum disease (periodontitis) have about 3 to 4.5 times the odds of bad breath, according to two reviews of observational studies. A third review found that a professional cleaning or deep cleaning below the gumline, plus home-care coaching, lowered the smelly sulfur gases in every trial it included. Here is what the studies show, what they can't prove, and when gums are worth checking.
Breath & MouthEvidence check
Does Osteoporosis Make You Lose Teeth? What Studies Show
Teeth sit in jawbone, so it's natural to wonder whether bone thinning after menopause loosens them. In a 5-year Japanese study of 404 women, those whose bone density fell fastest lost more teeth. But in 1,365 women aged 45 to 59, tooth count didn't track with bone density at all. A US study of 42,171 women linked current hormone therapy with 24% lower risk of tooth loss. Here is what it means.
