I am so overwhelmed | Share Your Bad Breath Story | Halitosis Forums

Hello Christina and welcome to the forums :-)

I totally relate to what you are going through. My bad breath problems started when I was around 20 and I lived with horrendous breath for twelve years. I do not wish this to anybody, as you say, social interaction is the part that makes it so difficult to deal with. And yes, I know about being afraid to open your mouth… Some days I used to avoid talking whenever I could or would hold my breath while talking, hoping this would somehow minimise the foul smells. 

Testing for bad breath oneself can be tricky and not very reliable. However, there are techniques that can be used for certain types of bad breath so that you have an idea of what your breath may smell like. 

I will be completely honest with you. Bad breath that has become persitent like in your case can stem from multpiple causes. However, I think that, from what you are telling me, it is quite clear that your wisdom teeth are one of the main causes (possibly the main cause) of your halitosis. Many people (including me) start experiencing bad breath problems in their late teens, early twenties, coinciding with the eruption of their wisdom teeth. Completely unaware that the problem is there, years can pass and debris can build up there in those pockets you mention (food remains that can be several years old in there!).

Yes, I know, no amount of toothbrushing can get rid of the problem because the pocket is too deep and the infection has reached areas that cannot be cleaned via conventional methods. Your dentist is absolutely right;if there are abscesses there, it is quite likely that your wisdom teeth will need to be removed. However, I am wondering if it is really needed to have all of them removed or if some can be saved. I am saying this because I had 2 wisdom teeth that were causing bad breath, and I was able to have just one removed (that one was bad, and the surgeon told me, after extraction, that there was a lot of dirt underneath, near the root, which smelled really foul). The other one, I flossed and flossed and irrigated a lot and I have been able to get rid of the bad breath coming from that wisdom tooth, and so have avoided extraction. It really depends how deep the pocket is, how difficult to clean is, and whether the infection has reached the root or near it….

Chewing gum helps salivate, which helps minimise bad breath (by avoiding a dry mouth), but make sure it contains xylitol, as it has been shown to help prevent decay as well. But yes, it is only covering up the problem. I actually was told on many occasions that my breath was foul (and I had a chewing gum in my mouth at the time!!). The cheesy smell is very strong and you are right, it is possible that the action of chewing could help release the nasty smells from those pockets you have.

I really feel for you, because I see myself a few years ago and I know how hard it is. But honestly, having identified the main cause of your problem is a huge step forward. I really think that the fact that your dentist has told you very clearly that there is a big problem with your wisdom teeth is good, because many people have to literally fight to convince their dentists that there is a problem there (some dentists nowadays prefer to keep wisdom teeth unless it is very obvious that there is infection there).

If you send me an e-mail, I can send you a link to a private page where you can get my step by step guide at a discounted price of $5. 

I hope this helps :-)

Dolors