Our Blog

DOES YOUR BREATH STINK? Do you know if your breath stinks? What causes it? What can be done about it? Here at our practice, we often get questions about bad breath. Sometimes the questions come from a long-suffering friend or family member of somebody else with bad breath.

Besides A Dirty Retainer, There Are Lots Of Bad Breath Causes 

Halitosis (chronic bad breath) can be caused by a number of things — some more serious than others. Here are the most common causes:

1. Things You Eat, Like Garlic And Onions

Foods like garlic and onions contain oils that transfer through your bloodstream into your lungs, causing odor to be emitted each time you exhale.

2. Things You Don’t Eat, And A Dry Mouth

Dieting can trigger different chemical processes that can make you more susceptible to bad breath. Also, not eating slows down saliva production, decreasing your mouth’s ability to clean away bacterial build-up. That’s why “morning breath” is unpleasant. Also, certain prescription medications can cause dry mouth.

3. The Way You Feel

Sometimes a cold or sore throat can be the culprit with odors coming directly from the bacteria or mucus trapped in your mouth or sinus area. Typically, these problems won’t go away until the symptoms causing them are gone.

4. Things That May Be More Serious

More serious causes include things like gum disease, kidney problems, diabetes, oral cancer, anorexia/bulimia, and others. That’s why it’s so important to contact us or your general dentist about chronic bad breath problems that you just can’t seem to solve.

Things You Can Do That Help

Remember, chronic or extreme bad breath is not normal. If you have any questions about causes, symptoms, or remedies, talk with our team.

1. If you wear a retainer, or any other orthodontic appliance, clean it thoroughly.
2. WE KNOW it’s hard with braces, but practice good oral hygiene! You know — brush and floss!
3. Gently brush your tongue.
4. Use an antibacterial mouthwash regularly.
5. Eat healthy, drink enough water, and don’t smoke.
6. Occasionally suck on a sugarless mint.
7. Don’t miss or postpone your appointments with us, or your checkups with your dentist.

A Little Fun With “...a new sense of daintiness...”

Contrary to the popular legend that Listerine coined the term “halitosis,” it actually dates back to the 1870s. However, Listerine made the term commonplace by using it in many of their ad campaigns. Halitosis combines the Latin “halitus” (meaning “breath”) with the Greek suffix “osis” (used to describe a medical condition).

Thanks, As Always, For Being Our Valued Patient

We sincerely appreciate the trust you place in our orthodontic practice! And thanks for your kind referrals of friends, family members, and coworkers. Leave us a comment below or send us a direct message on our Facebook page!

Your smile is our inspiration.

BRACES REMOVAL DAY is the most exciting day of any orthodontic patient’s treatment, but it’s not where the story ends. Next come the retainers, to make sure that smile stays properly aligned. But how do we keep our retainers in good condition, and why are they so important?

Why Do We Need Retainers?

It would be nice if our teeth stayed exactly where our braces left them: perfectly straight for the rest of our lives. Sadly, this isn’t how teeth work. They are held in place by periodontal ligaments, and these ligaments take time to adjust to their new position. Neglecting your retainer allows those ligaments to tug those teeth back to where they were before you had braces! This is why it’s crucial not only to wear your retainer as directed, but to take good care of it.

Cleaning Removable Retainers

Removable retainers come in two basic varieties: Hawley (the classic retainer made of wire fixed to a fitted acrylic plate) and Essix (clear plastic retainers). The different types require slightly different approaches when it comes to cleaning. Make sure to follow these steps so that your retainer doesn’t become smelly and full of tartar deposits.

Hawley Retainer

A cheap and easy way to clean your Hawley retainer is by soaking it in baking soda water. Doing this every day would damage the soldered metal pieces, so it’s important to only do this once in a while. Baking soda is a safer solution than effervescent tablets, especially if you have allergies. You should also avoid using mouthwash, which can dry the acrylic out to the point of damaging it.

Essix Retainer

It’s important to brush your Essix retainer as often as you brush your teeth — but hold the toothpaste, because it could scratch the plastic. Also make sure that the water you use to rinse it is lukewarm. Hot water will warp the retainer’s shape. Soaking in baking soda water is a great way to deep-clean an Essix retainer too, and there isn’t any metal solder to worry about, so you can do this as often as you like.

Looking for more uses for that baking soda? Check out this video:

Cleaning A Permanent Retainer

These are great tips for cleaning removable retainers, but what if you have a permanent retainer — the kind cemented to the backs of your teeth? Easy! Just clean these the same way you kept your braces clean: diligent brushing and flossing.

It can be tricky to floss around a permanent retainer, but it’s crucial for keeping tartar from building up around it and the backs of your teeth. Threaders and special floss designed for retainers can make this process easier, and you might even consider getting a water flosser if you don’t already have one.

If You Need More Tips On Retainer Care, Just Ask!

Whatever kind of retainer you use, you can always bring yours to our office or to your dentist for cleaning and inspection. We want to help you make sure that retainer lasts!

If you have questions about orthodontics or retainers, please call us at Gorczyca Orthodontics at 925-757-9000 for a free orthodontic exam.

Your smile is our inspiration.

Top image used under CC0 Public Domain license. Image cropped and modified from original.

The content on this blog is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of qualified health providers with questions you may have regarding medical conditions.

THERE ARE SO MANY things that can make us smile, from seeing an old friend to watching a good movie to randomly remembering a great joke we heard years ago. Well, we’re about to give you another reason to smile: it’s good for your health! That’s right, smiling has actual health benefits, so prepare to flash those pearly whites as you read all about them!

Smiling And The Feel-Good Hormone

When we smile, it triggers a chemical reaction in our bodies: the release of endorphins. Endorphins are natural hormones that inhibit pain and produce feelings of euphoria. We get them after a good workout, and we also get them when we’re happy. What’s really cool is that our brains associate smiling with happiness so strongly that even a fake smile will trigger that endorphin release. So if you get injured, take advantage of this trick to reduce your pain levels!

Smile To Reduce Your Stress

Another benefit of endorphins released by smiling is that they help relieve stress. When we become stressed, our heart rate increases. Smiling (fake or real) has been proven to bring heart rates back down more quickly and lower blood pressure.

A study from 2012 involved giving subjects a stressful task to complete. One group had to complete the task while clamping a pencil between their teeth, forcing them to smile the whole time. The other group had to grip the pencil between their lips, forcing them to maintain a more neutral face. Those with the larges smiles returned to their resting heart rates the fastest!

Strengthen Your Immune System With Smiles

The more endorphins we get from smiling and the more we reduce our stress, the easier it is for our immune systems to keep us healthy. Our cells become less rigid when we are less stressed, and this makes quicker paths for our immune response cells to react to pathogens and other threats to our health. It can even lower our chances of getting cancer by reducing the number of stress-induced mutations in our cells!

The cumulative effect of all of this is that we can even add years to our lives by smiling! So get started earning those laughter lines!

Bonus Benefit Of Smiling: Productivity Boost!

When we are in a good mood, we tend to get more done. And because we can actually make ourselves feel better just by the physical act of smiling, we can improve our productivity at work by smiling more! Your coworkers could even catch the smiling bug, because we all know how contagious smiles are!

Let Us Give You Reasons To Smile

Even with all these benefits, it can be difficult to smile with confidence without healthy teeth and gums. Make sure to maintain those good brushing and flossing habits to keep your smile in good shape, and visit your dentist twice a year for a deep-clean and to stop any dental problems in their tracks!

At Gorczyca Orthodontics, we are dedicated to your happiness and your new smile. Come see us today for a smile you can be proud of. Call us at 925-757-9000 for a free orthodontic exam.

Here's to your beautiful smile and good health.

Top image used under CC0 Public Domain license. Image cropped and modified from original.

The content on this blog is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of qualified health providers with questions you may have regarding medical conditions.

NO MATTER WHAT sport you play, custom mouthguards keep your teeth protected.

Custom Mouthguards Are Made Just For You

Custom mouthguards are made just for you and precisely fit to your teeth, arch, and bite. This mouthguard will feel comfortable and not fall out during sports play or at the time of a sports injury.

Custom Mouthguards Reduce Risk of Concussion

Studies say that custom-made mouthguards can also reduce an athlete’s risk of concussion. Multiple layers of absorbent material lessen the traumatic blow to teeth so that there is minimal chance of tooth fracture or a tooth being knocked-out during injury.

Sports which recommend a sports guard or mouthguard include: football, baseball, basketball, boxing, hockey, karate, lacrosse, martial arts, motocross, soccer, rugby, softball, tae kwon do, and wrestling.

Custom fit mouthguards are thicker and more form fitting than boil-n-bite mouthguards. Your sports mouthguard can be designed with your school logo or your team logo, team colors, or cool graphic. Your name or helmet strap can be added.

We Offer Custom Mouthguards at Gorczyca Orthodontics

Recently, Patti and Gwen from Gorczyca Orthodontics in Antioch, California visited the dental office of the Oakland Raider's Football team to learn how to make professional grade sports mouth guards. They are available at our office. Find us at www.clubbraces.com or call us at (925) 757-7000.

Protect your teeth or your child’s teeth with a custom fit mouthguard today. No matter what sport you play, your custom mouthguard will fit your need, and your parents need, to protect your teeth.