Over the years we, at the Center for Breath Treatment, have received a lot of questions from the public and our patients regarding possible causes of halitosis. One question that is frequently asked is whether the type of fillings one has in their mouth can affect their breath odor. Over the years we have unfortunately seen a lot of people go through the process of having all of their old silver amalgam fillings replaced with the newer tooth colored composite fillings. This is a costly and time- consuming endeavor to undertake especially if you have a lot of fillings to replace. Regardless of the material used in the tooth restoration, fillings that are in good condition cannot produce any malodors on their own. If the filling is undermined with very large decay there is the possibility that a small odor could be generated by the decay and any trapped bacteria or food particles. Under normal conditions you should not have to concern yourself with whether your fillings are responsible for any forms of bad breath. In general the silver amalgam fillings are a very long lasting restoration that will far outlast the tooth colored composite fillings. They are also less expensive and time consuming to place in the mouth, and are more resistant to decay than the composite materials are. Their main drawback however is they are not as cosmetically appealing as the tooth colored fillings.
About the author: Dr. Anthony Dailley is a practicing dentist that specializes in halitosis treatment. He has been practicing since 1981 and graduated from San Francisco State University with a degree in Cell & Molecular Biology, and obtained his dental degree from the Pacific School of Dentistry. Dr. Dailley founded the Center for Breath Treatment in the San Francisco Bay Area and conducts research on curing halitosis. He also was a founder of a biotechnology company called NovaBay Pharmaceuticals and was on the board of directors from 1997 -2014.