Q&A
1 What is Halitosis?
Halitosis, is the medical term that refers to bad breath. It is the condition of having stale or foul-smelling breath.
2Is there a cure for bad breath?
No. Bad breath is caused by the repopulating bacteria in your mouth, especially in your tongue. These bacteria are a normal part of your oral flora.
3How does Bad Breath Institute™ address Halitosis?
Bad Breath Institute™ offers treatments for bad breath through its unique services and in the near future with its exclusive products. These treatments bring the level of your bad breath under control by reducing and removing unwanted odors emanating from your mouth. Maintenance of results achieved is also important.
4If there is no cure for bad breath, then why do others claim they can eliminate bad breath for ever?
That is, unfortunately, not true. Bad breath is caused by bacterial byproducts. These sulfur producing bacteria cause bad breath by breaking down the protein in the mouth. They are necessary to the oral environment and can not be eliminated. These anaerobic bacteria thrive in the deep areas of the tongue and continuously divide and repopulate, especially in areas of low to no oxygen. The way to address bad breath is to control the levels of sulfide molecules and gases that the bacteria produce, which presents itself as bad breath.
5How does the Bad Breath Institute™ treatment system work?
Bad Breath Institute™ system attacks all bacteria to bring halitosis under control. This is accomplished by eliminating all sources of bacterial in the mouth; it includes procedures such as priodontitis (bacterial and infection in the gums), dental caries (Cavities in teeth caused by bacterial action), and by direct procedures on the imbedded, anaerobic bacteria inside the tongue. The treatment system is a unique procedure known as Airigation™ treatment, which is developed by Bad Breath Institute’s™ founder, Dr. Vahé Ohanessian.
6Why do I need to maintain and continue visiting the clinic even after initial treatments?
Treating bad breath is a process. It is no different than regular dental hygiene and visits. That is why it works best when combined with your regular dental treatments. Treating bad breath is similar to dieting, working out, getting in shape and staying healthy. However, it also requires professional supervision and assistance. Just as one needs a coach when working out and dieting, the same is true when treating halitosis. Trained doctors and staff at Bad Breath Institute™ consult with you through the initial success phase, diagnose a routine repeated maintenance program, and educate you with information to implement bad breath treatments on your own and without any significant modification to your daily routine or life style.
7Why don’t other Dentists and Doctors focus on bad breath?
Halitosis is a field of expertise and there aren’t many providers that have sufficient experience or knowledge to treat the problem. It also requires detailed understanding of other sciences that most providers do not follow. For many patients and the general public as well, having bad breath is an embarrassing issue to address, and consequently, very few people do. Because of the phobic nature of this social problem and the fact that many don’t discuss this subject, most health care professionals also do not realize this condition’s crippling affects, especially in workplace environments, intimate relationships, and social settings.
8Why don’t the large corporation and pharmaceutical companies address treatments and solutions for bad breath?
It is not in their best interest to educate the public: Since halitosis or bad breath is not a life-threatening disease and it is not curable; these companies make larger profits by continuously selling products and consumables. Although bad breath is not a medical condition that could kill you; bad breath kills self-confidence. With over $10 billion spent annually on breath fresheners, corporate interest is in selling products not treatments. The public is conditioned to believe, incorrectly that the only way to deal with halitosis is to use gum, mints, or to brush and gargle as much as possible. Think about it? If these products were helpful in removing bad breath, instead of covering it up, one gum or one mint would’ve sufficed for hours.
9Do Bad Breath Institute’s™ procedures hurt?
No. Our unique Airigation™ treatment is non-invasive. Possibly the easiest procedure you’ve had done in a dental office. Unlike other dental procedures; our patients come in happy and leave happier after getting treated.
10Is it true that bad breath is hereditary?
No, this is false. Bad breath is the result of natural bacterial byproducts living in your oral flora, especially in your tongue. Certain genetic predispositions, such as the shape of the tongue, can be a contributing factor to the severity of bad breath, but there is no gene that can be passed on that causes bad breath.
11Is Bad Breath contagious or can someone get it by kissing?
No, this is false. Bad breath is due to bacterial byproducts in one’s mouth and everyone has it. It is not “passed” from one person to another.
12Can continuous tongue scraping help my bad breath?
Although brushing or scraping the tongue is an important part of fighting bad breath, scraping alone will not be very helpful and could actually cause more damage to the surface of the tongue. Bacteria live deep inside the folds and hair like papillae of the tongue. Proper solutions and products are needed to reach these depths to neutralize the bacterial byproducts.
13Why can other people smell my bad breath but I can’t?
While our body is biologically conditioned to adapt and not smell odors on ourselves, it is conditioned to notice other’s smells and odors very quickly. This is called acclimation and most mammals possess it.
14How do I know I have bad breath?
There are several ways to be aware. First, ask others to be honest with you if they have noticed it before, or try to be aware yourself if you notice other’s behavior towards you change when you speak in a close proximity to them. Another method is to floss with regular, non-mint floss; if you can smell the floss with a bad odor then you should be aware that you have bad breath. Other means of testing yourself for bad breath are by licking the back of your hand, or chewing on a straw, letting it air dry for 5 seconds, and then smelling it; again, if there is a bad odor or smell, then you likely have bad breath.
15What services do you offer for patients that do not live in close proximity to the Bad Breath Institute™ clinic?
You may contact our office to provide you with air, hotel, auto rental, and other service information. For patients travelling from long distances, we schedule them for back to back accelerated treatments. We intend to offer more geographic and licensed locations in the near future.
