Chronic bad breath (also called halitosis) is unpleasant, embarrassing, and more common than you think.
It can be caused by a wide number of different factors including stress, alcohol consumption, diet choices, sinus or tonsil infections, poor oral care, poor digestion, or a sign of potentially more serious medical conditions such as diabetes, stomach ulcers, gastro-intestinal reflux, or kidney and liver malfunctions.
Ridding yourself of bad breath may be a several step process, but if you suffer from moderate halitosis, first try some of these 6 simple oral care tips over several weeks and see if they work for you.
1. Target the tongue, teeth and gums
There are three areas of concern in the mouth: the tongue, teeth, and gums:
After you eat, tiny particles of food remain on your tongue, and with time, develop bacteria and begin to decay, causing bad breath. Along with regularly brushing your teeth, brushing or scraping your tongue in the morning and before bedtime can help to eliminate the problem.
Brushing your teeth daily and after major meals, in addition to daily flossing and rinsing will help keep your teeth healthy and gums free of bacteria buildup and plaque, significantly minimizing halitosis.
2. Change your diet
Most commonly, foods containing garlic, onions or strong spices will cause bad breath, often for hours after ingestion.
Sugary foods and liquids including juices and coffee will leave a residue on your teeth after you eat. This sugar can eat away at your teeth causing cavities and lead to bad breath-causing bacteria. Also, coffees and teas are often very acidic and result in stinky breath.
Try cutting back on all of these, brushing your teeth each time you enjoy these foods, or at the very least, swishing water or mouthwash in your mouth after each meal, and see what happens.
3. Chew gum!
Few people realize that their own saliva is important in the fight against bad breath! Saliva helps clean the mouth and wash away food particles and bacteria leftover from a meal. When saliva production slows down, often while one sleeps, drinks alcohol, smokes or is under a lot of stress, microorganisms and bacteria are able to linger longer in the mouth and proliferate, causing a strong, bad odor.
We recommend chewing a sugar-free gum in-between meals, as it will stimulate saliva production in your mouth and prevent odor-causing bacteria from replicating in your mouth.
4. Get a Water Pick
As effective as a toothbrush can be, sometimes it simply can’t get your entire mouth as clean as it could be. Flossing, or using a water pick can reach in those tight places under your gums and between your teeth where particles of food collect and decay.
5. Find a better mouthwash
Just like a dab of makeup can temporarily conceal a blemish or imperfection, a mouthwash is only an immediate and temporary solution to bad breath, but what you should focus on instead is tackling the source of your problem.
If you must use mouthwash or don’t have a toothbrush handy, try to find a mouthwash that is alcohol-free, and that instead contains hydrogen peroxide. Alcohol containing mouthwashes will only serve to exaggerate your halitosis in the long run.
6. Visit your dentist regularly
Go for teeth cleanings regularly and tell your dentist of any problems or discomfort. Cavities and other fissures or pockets are an ideal breeding ground for bacteria, and if left untreated, cavities will continue to decay your teeth causing intense pain and increased bad breath.
