For many people it is not easy to judge the extent of their own bad breath. Whereas most, regrettably for those close to them, remain oblivious to their own oral odours, others may exhibit signs of “halitophobia,” a highly exaggerated fear that they have halitosis.

Lucy Jones, a 37 year old make up artist has always had a problem with bad breath. However as her job has always required her to work very close up to other people, she has always had a ready supply of mints and chewing gum to hand in order to mask her problem. Even from a young age Lucy can remember her younger sibling teasing her about her breath, however, whilst making up a client, she was mortified when asked whether she had “ever sought help for her bad breath!”

It was this embarrassment that finally shocked Lucy to seek help. A search on the internet came up with “The Fresh Breath Centre”. This advanced Centre was set up to clinically measure, diagnose and treat oral malodour by Dr Philip Stemmer BDS, and Oral Microbiologist Professor Mel Rosenberg PhD - an international authority and lecturer on breath odour. Since its inception ten years ago it has achieved an extremely high 95% success rate.

Naturally Lucy was very nervous but was reassured by the discretion and understanding of the team at The Fresh Breath Centre. The consultation involved a discussion about her typical dental hygiene practices and how bad breath affected her work. Lucy explained that her daily routine involved brushing her teeth after breakfast and before going to bed, using a normal toothbrush. However, she explained that by the time she got to work, she felt very self-conscious and constantly chewed on gum or sucks on mints to disguise the smell of her breath.

Dr Stemmer explained to her that “Mints and sprays just mask the problem of bad breath and a good oral hygiene routine is essential if you are to maintain a healthy mouth and gums”. He stated “Firstly it is vital that you clean twice a day, before breakfast and last thing at night.” He also recommended that she started using a power toothbrush as studies show that these are many times more effective than a manual. “It is also important to floss each day and then finally rinse with an alcohol free mouthrinse.”

According to Dr Stemmer it is also very important to eliminate the causes of bad breath due to a non-oral origin (a very small percentage) which includes infected tonsils, syphilis, various cancers, liver or kidney failure. However according to Professor Mel Rosenberg, 90% of bad breath cases are due to bacterial purification originating in the oral cavity. The major causes of bad breath include poor general oral hygiene, periodontal diseases, food impaction, improper or faulty restorations, unclean dentures, and excessive bacterial growth on the tongue. The bad smell could also be due to a simple throat infection, sinus problems, low fluid intake or lack of salivary flow. Oral malodour can also be associated with psychological problems and in many cases, people with real or imaginary bad breath, withdraw from society and occasionally, even contemplate suicide. Many people mistakenly visit the GP about their bad breath, but once it has been established that the condition has an oral origin, patients should immediately be referred to a dentist with a special interest in oral malodour rather than just the local dentist who may not have the time or the knowledge, expertise and experience to treat this condition.

After the initial consultation Dr Stemmer measured the severity of Lucy’s breath odour using a halimeter - a portable sulphide monitor which calculates the level of volatile gasses produced by the bacteria in the mouth. He also took a scraping of plaque bacteria from her teeth and showed her the presence of a multitude of organisms under a microscope. Lucy was then asked to rinse her mouth with Dentyl pH which was pioneered in the UK by Dr Stemmer and was taken aback when she spat in the sink and saw in the extent of bacteria which had been stained and coloured by the mouthrinse.

Dentyl pH has a unique two phase action which absorbs, stains and removes the excess bacteria, food debris and dead skin cells in the mouth. Regular use of such a mouthrinse at home is important to ensure all round cleanliness, since it reaches those parts of the mouth not accessible by other oral hygiene tools.

Finally Dr Stemmer explained that Lucy should also drink plenty of water throughout the day to ensure a clean fresh mouth. Twice yearly visits to the dentist and hygienist were also recommended to ensure her oral health is monitored and any recurring problems are treated early.

“I’m ready for my close up now…”
Lucy is now so comfortable about her fresher breath that she will confidently get close to clients and her increased bookings attest as much to her aroma as her make up skills. As a result of a few simple changes to her daily routine and the judicious use of some oral hygiene tools recommended to her she has found that she is more happy and confident both at work and at home and just wishes that she had visited Dr Stemmer sooner!

For a free fresh breath leaflet or for more information about bad breath visit www.freshbreath.co.uk or call 020 7935 1666 if you would like a discreet appointment with Dr Stemmer at the Fresh Breath Centre.