More than 80 million people suffer
from chronic halitosis, or bad
breath. In most cases it originates
from the gums and tongue.
Bad breath can be very
embarrassing, but it is a common
condition and there are numerous
ways to fight it. Following these tips
can help you fight bad breath as
well as keep your mouth healthy on
a daily basis.
1. Brush teeth twice a day.
Brush your teeth two to three minutes at least twice
a day to remove plaque and food debris. It’s very
important to brush your teeth before going to bed.
You might try an additional round of brushing with
baking soda to reduce the acidity in the mouth and
make it difficult for the bacteria that cause bad
breath to grow.
2. Floss daily.
Flossing will remove food debris from in between
the teeth that a toothbrush can't reach. If the food
debris is not removed, the bacteria will begin to feed
on it, causing bad breath.
3. Brush or scrape your tongue.
To remove any residue that may be building up
between the taste buds and folds in the tongue,
invest in an inexpensive tool called a tongue
scraper, which is available in drugstores. If you
don’t have a tongue scraper, you can use your
toothbrush to brush your tongue.
4. Use a mouth rinse.
Keep in mind that if a dental problem is the cause
of chronic bad breath, a mouth rinse will only mask
the odor and not cure it. In some cases, mouth
rinses may actually worsen a bad breath problem
by irritating oral tissue. For an emergency freshen-
up, try a quick rinse with a mix of water and a few
drops of peppermint oil. Or rinse your mouth with
black or green tea: according to a study by the
University of Illinois at Chicago, rinsing your mouth
with black or green tea suppresses the growth of
bacteria that cause mouth odor.
5. Visit your dentist.
The best way to make sure that you are maintaining
good oral hygiene is to visit your dentist regularly. If
you have chronic bad breath, you should visit your
dentist first, to rule out any dental problems. Or, if
your dentist believes that the problem is caused
from a systemic (internal) source such as an
infection, he or she may refer you to your family
physician or a specialist to help remedy the cause
of the problem.
6. Quit smoking and avoid tobacco products.
If you ever needed another reason to quit, here’s an
easy one: smoking contributes to bad breath.
Tobacco tends to dry out your mouth and can leave
an unpleasant smell that lingers even after brushing
your teeth.
7. Wet your whistle.
Be sure to drink a sufficient amount of water (six to
eight 8-ounce glasses) daily to avoid dry mouth.
Drinking water will help keep odor under control
because it helps wash away food particles and
bacteria, the primary cause of bad breath. If you
have chronic dry mouth or take medications that
cause you to have dry mouth, talk to your dentist
about recommending an over-the-counter saliva
substitute.
8. Eat a piece of sugarless candy or chew sugarless gum.
If you have dry mouth, try sucking on a piece of
sugarless candy or chew sugarless gum to stimulate
saliva flow. The saliva will help to wash away food
debris and bacteria that cause bad breath.
9. Munch on a carrot, a stick of celery or an apple.
Snacks of crispy, fresh fruits and vegetables step up
your saliva flow between meals to help wash away
bacteria from teeth, tongue and gums that can
cause bad breath. These snacks can also help
alleviate bad breath caused by hunger or fasting. An
empty stomach from skipping meals can cause foul
breath as acids in the stomach build up.
10. Eat your parsley.
Parsley adds more than a green garnish to your
lunch plate; it's also a breath-saver because it
contains chlorophyll, a known breath deodorizer. So
pick up that sprig on your plate and chew it
thoroughly. Or toss a few handfuls in a juicer and
sip the juice when you need to refresh your breath.
Information courtesy of the Academy of General Dentistry
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