Smelly Plaque

[elenapoo]

Hey, this question is more complicated then just "brush your teeth" :) I brush twice a day and floss once a day and my problem is not going away. Every night before I go to bed, I floss and for some reason my plaque smells really bad. I asked my people if my breath smelled bad, and they say no. Maybe they are just humoring me, I don't know but my plaque is really smelly. I asked my doctor and she just said... floss more. Please help me! I feel there may be something more going on inside, but I hate going to the doctors unprepared. Thanks a million!

[dana007]

If you can smell your mouth and your friends cannot, could it be that your sinuses have a problem? I know we all thing we smell more than we usually do (we are more perceptive to our own smell) but sometimes smell is off when our sinuses are infected. Maybe something you should ask your MD to look into?

[Ramin Mehregan, DMD]

No. Plaque is not a sign of periodontal disease. It is sign of gingivitis. If you had periodontal problems, such as bone loss, I am sure your dentist would have said something.
As I said in my early post, switch to BreathRx.

[elenapoo]

Thanks so much for answering back, this will be my last question. Is it possible that it could be early stages of gum disease? What would be other symptoms of that? Thanks again!

[Ramin Mehregan, DMD]

Sometimes the food you eat will contribute to bacterial breakdown in plaque. I do not think it is an acid reflux issue. More likely the food you eat and the normal bacterial host of your mouth.

[elenapoo]

I do use mouthwash, but isn't it possible that perhaps I have a degestive problem if every night my plague is very smelly? My doctor told me to take over the counter drugs for acid reflex, but I looked up the symptons of acid reflex and I truly believe this is not the problem. I would really appreciate it if you could re-examine my question for possible further diagnosis. Thanks again!

[Ramin Mehregan, DMD]

Dear Patient
Have you tried rinsing with BreathRx after brushing?