Many times, if your breath smells a bit off, brushing your teeth more often or more thoroughly will take care of the problem. However, if you've been brushing diligently and your breath is still smelly, it's time to consider the possibility that your bad breath is being caused by something more sinister than dirty teeth. Here's a look at three other possible causes of bad breath. Dry Mouth Saliva helps wash all of the nasty, odor-emitting bacteria out of your mouth.

If you're having your wisdom teeth removed soon, you're certainly not alone. According to the American Association of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons, about ninety-percent of all people have a wisdom tooth that's impacted. Thinking about your upcoming wisdom teeth extraction can be stressful and intimidating, but you can make the recovery process much smoother by thoroughly preparing yourself for your oral surgery and recovery ahead of time. Preparing for Your Surgical Appointment

Patients often visit the general dentist office with a diagnosis or treatment already in mind thanks to online research. But while there is a lot of valuable information online, there are an equal number of myths about dental health. Gum health seems to be one of the most misunderstood areas of oral hygiene and treatment or diagnosis myths can prevent you from getting the treatment you actually need. Here are two common gum health myths-- and the truth behind the stories.

You just found out that you're going to need braces. Now, you have questions that you want answered. Your parents are probably prepared for the technical questions dealing with procedures and costs. But, you might have questions of a more personal nature. Here are a few answers that you might have been wondering about. Will They Hurt? The braces are going to move your teeth back into their proper positions. Your dentist will attach wires and brackets to your teeth, which will be tightened and adjusted each time you go in for a visit.

No matter what technical advancements are made in the dental industry, dentists still need to use a drill for a number of their procedures. For this reason, most people become anxious when they have a root canal appointment, as they are petrified of the pain. The good news is that the drills that are used now are designed for maximum effectiveness with minimal invasiveness. More often than not, the pain you are anxious about will be due to the recovery rather than the procedure itself.

The decision on whether to extract or keep wisdom teeth is not always an easy one. On the one hand, these teeth tend to create problems for many people; on the other hand, you may not want to undergo a dental procedure if you aren't sick. However, there are situations where the benefits of removing wisdom teeth far outweigh the discomfort of removing them. For example, you should have the teeth extracted if:

Discoloration and staining of your teeth is a common problem that you will likely encounter at some point or another. While this problem can be relatively embarrassing, there are teeth whitening procedures that you can use to restore the cosmetic problems caused by staining. Yet, if you have never had your teeth professionally whitened, you may have a couple of questions that you want answered before deciding whether this is the best option for whitening your smile.

Most people know that certain foods almost always cause bad breath. But did you know there are plenty of foods that can not only help with bad breath, but even prevent it in the first place? If you're worried about bad breath on a day-to-day basis or you've got an important meeting coming up, try adding these foods to your diet. Parsley and basil Think of parsley and basil as the polar opposites of the notorious bad-breath causing foods onions and garlic.

If you want alter the appearance of your teeth, you may want to invest in veneers. This is a cosmetic procedure that can be done in your dental office. Many people have this process completed because doing so can drastically improve the overall appearance of your teeth. It is important to know specific things about teeth veneers if you are considering investing the time and energy into this process. The Costs

If you have ever gotten up in the middle of the night with a pounding toothache, you know how intense and excruciating the pain can be. However, toothache pain comes to only to people with teeth, right? If you wear dentures and have no natural teeth in your mouth, waking up to severe mouth pain may not only hurt a lot, but may also be surprising. Slivers Of Bone When teeth are pulled out, small pieces of bone may chip off and remain behind in the gum tissue.