Common Questions About Bad Breath (Halitosis)

What is halitosis?

Chronic halitosis is a condition in which a person produces an offensive odor from their oral or nasal regions and they’re unable to eliminate it through normal oral hygiene techniques, such as flossing or brushing. The occasional “morning breath” most people experience at one time or another is not really true halitosis. Halitosis knows no boundaries when it comes to age, sex, race, or socioeconomic levels. Furthermore, it can be truly demoralizing, and it negatively impacts the lives of as many as 50-80 million individuals in the United States alone. Because it’s such an embarrassing problem we have found that many patients are reluctant to even mention their problem to either their physician or dentist.

Another unfortunate fact is that most halitosis sufferers have no idea that they have a breath problem unless somebody directly informs them. People suffering from halitosis have been known to become withdrawn and avoid social situations. There unfortunately have even been documented cases of suicide stemming from a halitosis problem.

How long does treatment for my bad breath take, and once I complete my halitosis treatment will my halitosis problem return?

It typically takes about 2 appointments to eliminate a person’s halitosis condition*. At the completion of treatment we may recommend a preventive maintenance program that will prevent the reoccurrence of your halitosis. Recommendations are based on each individual’s breath problem and their specific causes of their breath condition. If the program is correctly followed your breath problem will not return*.

Will my insurance cover any of the treatment for my chronic bad breath condition?

If you have dental insurance you will be able to get partial benefits for the treatment at our center. Because the treatment of halitosis is not a covered benefit we will provide you with a completed dental claim form that includes various diagnostic treatment codes that we will perform in our office. Patients then submit this to their insurance company for reimbursement and the average reimbursement for most patients is $100.00-$300.00.

Do you prescribe antibiotics for the treatment of chronic halitosis?

No. Antibiotics are not able to effectively reach the specific bacteria that cause halitosis, and they should not be used on a long term basis. In some instances we do utilize specialized antibacterial rinses in conjunction with our treatment.

What is the success rate for the treatment of bad breath in your clinic?

We’re proud to say that we have a 99% success rate*.

What happens if it is determined that my chronic halitosis condition is of a medical origin?

At the initial diagnostic appointment it will be easily will easily determined whether there are any medical causes to a patient’s halitosis condition. This is quite easy to do and in the rare instance that there is a medical component to a patient’s breath condition we will refer that patient to the appropriate physician for additional treatment.

Does the procedure hurt in any way, or are needles involved?

There is absolutely no discomfort involved in any treatment we provide. It is a noninvasive procedure that requires no anesthesia or injections of any kind.

Can any of the treatments you perform for the cause of bad breath cause a person any harm?

No. In no way can our treatment cause any harm or complications with a patient. It is a noninvasive treatment and the worse thing possible that can happen is for the procedure to be unsuccessful.

What can a person do if they don’t live in close proximity to the San Francisco Bay Area where The Center for Breath Treatment is located, and there is no way for them to see Dr. Dailley in person?

For those people that have no possible means of seeing us we recommend using our special alternative treatment program that is now available. See the information in our web site under Unique Treatment Kit for further details. Our breath treatment kit can be purchased online, or you can call us at 1-888-FRESH-03 (510.848.0114) to place an order or to obtain additional information.

Once treated for the cause of bad breath, will my breath problem return?

At the completion of your treatment we will develop an individualized maintenance regimen for you which will prevent the reoccurrence of your old halitosis condition.

Bad breath treatment in our clinic, Treatment of chronic bad breath, Treatment of chronic halitosis

At the Center for Breath Treatment we have found that about 90% of breath problems are caused from a proliferation of specific types of gram (-) anaerobic bacteria in the mouth. This has also been supported by extensive research in the field of halitosis. This proliferation is often a result of conditions such as allergies, sinus congestion or post-nasal drips, nasal polyps, and xerostomia which is a dry mouth condition. A common area where the bacteria congregates can actually be on the tongue itself. Because we rarely find bad breath resulting from a medical condition, we suggest that the first approach in eliminating bad breath should be an oral approach. This approach is more economical, noninvasive, and it has a much higher probability of success. We do recommend that all patients maintain their dental health by seeing their dentist regularly. Should a chronic halitosis condition persist, despite the noninvasive oral treatments that we offer, then we suggest that those patients should see their physician. It is very rare to see this occur, and the differential diagnosis we perform at the first appointment, will quickly determine whether a chronic bad breath problem is of a medical or dental origin. Very rarely is a chronic halitosis condition a result of insufficient oral hygiene.

*Your results may vary.

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