Marco Island Dental Blog

No one’s breath smells minty clean all the time, and everyone gets a touch of bad breath on occasion, whether a case of “morning breath,” “garlic breath,” “stale breath” or some other breath malodor. Such cases are generally resolved with time and a bit of oral care through brushing, flossing and mouthwash. Unfortunately, some cases of bad breath can become chronic, which may require more robust measures for effective treatment. While occasional bad breath and its more chronic form—commonly referred to as “halitosis”—may strike most as a rather modest affliction, more than 140 scientists and clinicians from around the world have been researching causes and cures since 1993. The International Society for Breath Odor Research (ISBOR) has held nine international conferences and collectively published numerous studies on halitosis.

If not for the temporomandibular joint, more commonly referred to as the “TMJ,” you would not be able to speak, laugh, yawn, or chew food effectively. The joint consists of interconnected muscles, ligaments, and discs that connect the upper and lower jaw bones and allows you to move them from side to side, up and down, and forward and backward. As a crucial component of a workable mouth and overall oral health, dentists generally check its function during the course of an oral examination.

If you put losing weight at the top of your 2018 New Year’s resolutions list, we’ve got some good news for you that may add impetus for maintaining that resolution going forward: Not only does weight loss generally benefit overall health, but the food choices made during dieting often serve to benefit your teeth and overall oral health. That’s because many of the food items that can affect your waist line can also be detrimental to your teeth.