He who laughs last! KU64 says goodbye to bad breath
Our KU64 dental specialists take care of your breath - be ready for Valentine's Day!
* One in four Germans suffers from halitosis/bad breath - most of them without their knowledge
* The latest findings prove that bad breath originates in the oral cavity, not in the stomach
* A special dental cleaning method removes most sources of bad breath
Berlin (KU64/25 January 2008) - Toothaches and bad breath have something in common: they originate in the oral cavity. Whereas an aching tooth can hardly be ignored, most people are totally unaware of their own bad breath. And it's never easy to point somebody else's bad breath out to him or her.
This is unfortunate, especially since the cause of halitosis - as well as an efficient remedy - is quite easy to find. In more than 90% of cases, the cause of chronic bad breath can be located in the oral cavity and the throat. More than 500 bacteria species, some of which cause malodour, can set off halitosis. They settle on our teeth, our tongue, in the gingival pockets and interdental spaces. In short, they can be found in all places which are hardly accessible by usual oral hygiene instruments. Besides, negligent dental hygiene form a basis for infections, periodontitis, caries, periodontal pockets, plaque, or a furred tongue. Oral dryness, reduced salivation, and food debris between the teeth create a nourishing environment for pathogenic germs. Smoking and breathing through the mouth will aggravate this effect.
"If other people keep away from you, refuse to come near you, or refuse to give you another kiss, you should talk to your dentist," says Dr Stephan Ziegler, owner of KU64. And the next Valentine's Day will surely come! "We will determine the cause of your bad breath and advise you on how to get rid of it. Needless to say, cleaning your teeth after main meals is an absolute must. And, of course, you shouldn't forget to clean the interdental spaces every day as well."
Some hidden places in your mouth can only be reached by using a suitable "tool". Dental floss removes plaque and food debris in places which are inaccessible to most tooth brushes. With smaller brushes, you can also clean the gum surfaces between your teeth to prevent bacteria from settling. Our highly specialised KU64 staff will happily advise you on the best methods of low-invasive plaque removal. As a special feature, the state-of-the-art devices in our practice can operate in a massage mode to clean teeth and gums in order to combat bacteria.
Mouthwash and gargle solutions are not recommendable for long-term use. When over applied, these solutions can even accelerate the reproduction of detrimental bacteria and lead to even stronger bad breath. It is far better to take sugar-free lozenges, pastilles and chewing-gum whenever you are not able to clean your teeth for one reason or another. Besides, chewing-gum and lozenges stimulate salivation and simply wash away odorants. For the same reason, we recommend that you drink an ample amount of water at regular intervals during the day.
Bad breath rarely comes from the stomach. Should bad breath remain despite good dental care and your dentist is not able to identify its cause, we recommend you see your GP. Intestinal hyperacidity, biliary disease, or metabolic disorders can usually be prevented.
Professional cleaning
The best way to learn how to use dental floss and toothbrushes for the spaces between the teeth is an "on site" prophylaxis session in the dental practice. A professional cleaning ensures that all spaces that can't by reached by flossing or brushing are cleaned as well. These comprise dental and gingival sulci or gum pockets, which might develop an especially bad smell. The related prophylaxis is not covered by the health insurance and has to be paid by the patient. Dental practices offer programmes at very different conditions. Our KU64 prophylaxis programme comprises the determination of periodontal and caries risk, dental cleaning and enamel hardening. Nicole Thinius, KU64 Dental Hygienist and halitosis specialist, will happily advise you on every aspect of oral hygiene. For patients with a compulsory health insurance, a one-hour session is available for about ?100. Particularly tenacious cases of bad breath will be treated by two highly specialised experts in our practice.
Tip: Self-diagnosis
If you prefer not to ask other people about how your breath smells, you can take to a simple self-testing procedure by scraping your tongue softly with a spoon in order to remove small parts of tongue coating. After 15-30 seconds any unpleasant smell should be noticeable. This test should be repeated at different times of day after the consumption of different foods to obtain a clear result.
PRESS:
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ADDRESS:
KU64 - your dental specialists
Kurfürstendamm 64, D-10707 Berlin, tel. +49 30 86 47 32 0,
Consultation hours: Mon-Fri and Sat/Sun 8.00am-8.00pm.
Underground station: Adenauer Platz, bus lines: 119, M19, M29 (Olivaer Platz)
Free parking in the courtyard.
Updated 14 June 2009
