What happens at a halitosis test?
Halitosis can be a serious condition. It can be a sign of something wrong in your digestive system or an early indicator of diseases of the mouth. It’s one of the most ignored signs of disease because sufferers find it an embarrassing condition. There’s a simple halitosis test that is non-invasive, quick and scientifically proven to get to the heart of the problem – and Robert Duhig Dental has one of the few testing apparatus in Queensland. Testing bad breath for chemical signatures A halitosis test is designed to detect chemical signatures in your mouth. These signatures can then be used to determine the kind of bacteria causing sour breath so we can put a treatment plan in place. Bacterial imbalance in the mouth is usually caused by anaerobic bacteria that cause minor breakdowns of tissue in the mouth, the results are hydrogen sulphide, methyl mercaptan and dimethyl sulphide – stinky gasses that cause bad breath. These anaerobic bacteria are hardy little suckers too – often immune to mouthwash and anti-biotics. If you’ve found that no matter how much brushing you do, you still suffer halitosis, a solution may be one simple appointment away. Often treatment is as simple as using pro-biotic lozenges for a couple of weeks. If there is a deeper problem, including gum disease, your dental hygienist can usually help you put a plan in place to reverse the effects. Your halitosis check Your halitosis check is a simple procedure. A dental hygienist will first explain what you need to know about the test and ask you some questions about your halitosis. Halitosis can be caused by rapid weight loss diets, medications, certain foods – not just your dental hygiene regime. Next your dentist will do a basic examination of your teeth and gums to ensure there’s no underlying causes such as gingivitis or periodontal gum disease. This quick, simple examination could prevent long term and costly dental problems. A sample of your breath will then be taken via a syringe (no needle required!) and then inputted into the gas analysis machine for testing. The testing machine then generates a print out of the breakdown of gasses in your mouth. Your dentist will analyse the make-up of your mouth’s “eco-system” and determine the underlying problem. In most cases, the diagnosis will be an imbalance of “good bacteria” in your mouth. This allows for pockets of “bad bacteria” to build up. Treatment and prognosis On rare occasions, your dentist may refer you to your GP for further testing. This may be when a bad breath issue is likely linked to an underlying health issue. Treatment is usually pro-biotic dental lozenges and an adjustment to your dental...
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