Dentures are known to cause poor breath, but have you ever considered why that is? You may be seeking a solution to your current problem with bad breath. Bad breath, often known as halitosis, is a frequent problem. Not only do people who wear dentures have bad breath, but the vast majority 

also do. 

According to certain studies, approximately 2.4% of the population has chronic bad breath. The good news is that poor breath isn’t fatal or permanent, and you can take steps to improve your oral health and social life. The first thing you should do if you notice that you have terrible breath is to figure out the most likely cause.

What is bad breath or halitosis?

But first, what exactly is bad breath (halitosis), and how does it appear? The most common cause of chronic bad breath, or halitosis, is the buildup of bacteria that make sulfur in the mouth, tongue, and throat. Bad breath is caused by proteins called volatile sulfur compounds produced as bacteria decompose.

How can I tell if my breath smells bad?

How do you know if your breath smells unless someone tells you? It’s uncommon to be blissfully unaware of your poor breath because you rarely get a sniff of your breath. Various than having someone react with every breath, there are other ways to determine if your breath is irritating. 

One method is to exhale into cupped palms and immediately sniff the output. But what if your dentures are the source of your bad breath? Remove your dentures and place them in a Ziplock container for a few moments to find out. This is an efficient method for determining whether your dentures are at fault. If you open the bag close to your nose and sniff, you should be able to tell if the smell is coming from your dentures. 

Causes of denture breath

So, what causes these volatile sulfur compounds to form in the first place? Denture wearers may be prone to poor breath for a variety of reasons, including:

• Oral hygiene issues
• Extractions of recent teeth
• Bad health, including gum disease
• Dentures that are old or poorly maintained
• Factors of lifestyle: smoking, alcohol consumption, and dietary preferences

Your dentures and poor hygiene

Taking better care of your teeth and gums is the simplest solution and the most common cause of foul breath. Dentures, like real teeth, are susceptible to plaque buildup, a film that coats the dentures and leads to foul breath. Plaque and bad breath can be avoided by having a daily oral hygiene routine that includes taking out food particles from your denture and any natural teeth and gums still there. 

Suggested cure:

• Brush your denture and any remaining natural teeth with a soft brush and floss at least twice daily.
• Put your false teeth in a bowl of water overnight. It’s not a good idea to sleep in your dentures.
• When brushing isn’t a possibility, drinking water throughout the day will help wash away food debris and bacteria.

A bad mouth – recent oral surgery or tooth extractions

If you’ve had teeth extracted and an instant denture put in, you can be a first-time denture user. A common side effect of bacterial infection of surgical wounds in the mouth is bad breath. Bad breath can also be caused by bleeding during oral surgery, such as tooth extractions. If the bleeding or foul breath lasts more than two days, it’s time to see a dentist.

Suggested Cure:

• Do exactly as your oral therapist tells you to do after surgery. You’ll experience less of the unpleasantness that is bad breath during your recovery.
• Patients should not smoke, spit, or drink through a straw at this time to avoid dry sockets, which can cause bad breath.
• If the condition persists, you should go to an oral therapist.

Old or poorly maintained dentures

Even dentures have a shelf life. Dentures have a certain life span and must eventually be replaced, regardless of how carefully you care for them or how frightened you may be of having new ones. Dentures can cause problems such as foul breath because their materials deteriorate over time, creating tiny fissures and cracks where food can get stuck and breed bacteria.

Suggested cure:

• Schedule a checkup for your dentures twice a year. Taking care of little difficulties as they arise is sometimes the best way to avoid major ones later on.
• Maintain a strict routine for cleaning your dentures.

Home Remedies to prevent denture odor

• Start brushing your denture and the teeth you still have twice a day. Use a tongue scraper or brush, and then gargle.
• Eliminate odor-causing germs by drinking lots of water.
• You can use warm salt water to clean the denture and mouth.
• Gargle with clove juice to eliminate bad breath. Cloves, according to their antibacterial properties, can be used to keep odorous bacteria from multiplying.
• Garlic and onion breath can be remedied using a mouthwash of apple cider vinegar diluted in water or chewing on fresh parsley.
• Vitamin C in oranges stimulates saliva production, which can alleviate dry mouth.
• You can get rid of bad breath by chewing sugar-free gum, which triggers saliva production and washes the mouth clean of odor-causing germs. The market offers denture-specific non-stick gums.
• To prevent further dry mouth, stay away from mouthwashes containing alcohol. Instead, try making your own with a cup of hot water, half a tablespoon of cinnamon, the juice of two lemons, one and a half teaspoons of honey, and half a teaspoon of baking soda. The combined solution can be stored for up to two weeks in a sealed container.

If you have any questions be sure to call our office. We’re happy to answer questions over the phone or schedule an appointment.