Keeping Bad Breath at Bay
With the holidays revving up and more people coming together this year, you’ll want to be sure your breath isn’t a party faux pas. Besides avoiding garlic and onions at the get-together, follow the below tips to tackle bad breath. We do have a caveat, however. That being some bad breath won’t be helped by any of these remedies because there’s a graver underlying issue involved and that, dear friends and patients, is something you should not ignore and need to make an appointment to come see us.
Drink More Water
Most of us don’t drink enough water throughout the day. Not only is it beneficial for our skin and other organs, energy levels, and more, it also helps clear out the odor-causing bacteria in our mouths.
Use a Tongue Scraper
Odor-causing bacteria settle on our tongues. If brushing your tongue with your toothbrush isn’t enough, then try using a tongue scraper once or twice a day.
Consume More Probiotics
Your bad breath might come from your gut. Probiotics help restore balance and digestive enzymes help break down the food in your stomach. Foods high in probiotics include: yogurt, kefir, kombucha, sauerkraut, pickles, miso, tempeh, kimchi, bananas, grapefruit, sourdough bread, and some cheeses (Swiss, Gouda, and cheddar are a few — look ones that say live- or active cultures on the food labels).
Rinse Your Mouth
Swishing water around after eating is good to help dislodge stuck food but what’s even better is a warm water and salt mixture as an easy go-to mouth rinse (that you then spit out).
Take Care of Your Gums
Food can easily get trapped in your gums. Remember to gently brush your gums along with your teeth. However, brush along the gumline in small circles. Never brush across the gums with wide strokes as this may damage them.And, yes, you guessed it. Floss! Flossing is important for cleaning your gums and removing food particles.
Eat More Apples
The fibrous texture of apples stimulates the gums and helps remove plaque caught between the teeth. Chewing apples also increases saliva production which, in turn, washes away bacteria.
Quit Smoking Cigarettes and E-cigarettes
Just stop for so many reasons.
Breathe Through Your Nose
Mouth breathing can cause dry mouth. A dry mouth means less saliva which means more bacteria and bad breath.
Cleaning of Dentures
If you wear dentures are you cleaning them properly?
Visit Your Dentist for Regular Check-Ups
You know we had to put this one in here. It’s important! If none of these remedies work we implore you to come see us or your general practitioner soon as constant bad breath (or if it suddenly, newly appears) can be a sign of chronic disease, oral cancer, a liver or kidney disorder, and more.
Now, how do you tell someone they have bad breath? We’re still working on that answer, but one of these ways might help: https://beathalitosis.com/resources/the-social-dilemma/
