Why Your Bad Breath Comes Back After Brushing?
You brush twice a day, maybe floss, maybe rinse. An hour later the taste is back, and someone at work steps half a step away when you talk. This is one of the most common things patients tell us at Trisa Dental Solutions, and it has a clear explanation. Brushing Cleans the Teeth, Not the Source In most people with persistent bad breath , the odour does not come from the teeth themselves. It comes from bacteria living where a toothbrush does not reach well: the back of the tongue, deep gum pockets, and spaces under old fillings, crowns or bridges. These bacteria break down proteins and release sulphur gases, mainly hydrogen sulphide and methyl mercaptan. That rotten-egg or cabbage-like smell is what other people notice. Brushing removes plaque from tooth surfaces. It does very little to the thick bacterial film that sits between the tiny projections (papillae) on the back of the tong...