Bad breath is one of the many dental health issues that affect an individual’s lifestyle. You see, after your body odour, your breath is the second thing a person would smell of you. Furthermore, if you have to speak to people, on a date, meeting or interview, this can really affect someone. Alright! Today’s topic we are going to discuss 11 ways how to get rid of bad breath.
What causes bad breath?
Before we dive into the ways to get rid of bad breath, let’s take a look at this. There are one too many reasons that cause bad breath. It can be such a confidence-killer for anyone suffering from this. Especially if you brush and flosses regularly.
So, here are some bad breath cause:
- Smoking – Whether they are cigarettes or any other tobacco products.
- Food – Some food has particles that increase the bacteria growth in your mouth. Some of the food include onions, garlic, spices, fish, etc.
- Medicines – If you’re taking medications, some of them when broken down releases a chemical. That will then carry to your breath.
- Mouth Dryness – When you salivate, it helps to clean your mouth by removing the bacteria and particles. If you have a dry mouth because you don’t salivate enough, then the bacteria is not washed away.
- Mouth Infections – Tooth decay, ulcers, gingivitis are some mouth diseases that contribute to bad breath.
What happens when you have bad breath?
One of the main things to happen when you have bad breath is shrinking self-confidence. You will constantly worry when you talk to people about how it smells. You will also be worried if the other person could smell it, which makes things worse. In addition, you will feel embarrassed if someone has commented on it. Regardless of whether they said it out of good intention or to critic you, it is awkward and sometimes humiliating.
Don’t worry, it’s understandable that bad breath is intolerable and must be rid of. So, here are some ways for you to do that!
Brush Your Teeth More Than Once
If you’re brushing your teeth once a day only (morning or night), then you would definitely have a problem. This is highly unhygienic and promotes bacteria growth and plaque build-up. These components are what causes the start of bad breath and last for a long time.
Always make sure you brush at least two (morning and night) or three (morning, evening, night) times in a day. Of course, if you have severe bad breath, the latter is recommended to ensure a clean mouth.
Just remember to not brush too hard and too frequent because removal of bacteria and plaque depends on the technique and right frequency.
Floss
Most people miss out on this part. All they do is brush their teeth twice a day and assume that their teeth and mouth are clean. Most of the time, there are food particles stuck in between the teeth. When they are not cleaned, they break down to form bacteria that produce bad breath.
Ensure that you floss regularly, preferably twice a day, after brushing. Depending on your dental needs, you can choose between the normal string floss or water flosser to do this.
Clean Your Tongue
Most dental articles write about the teeth and gums but forget the tongue. Did you know that the layering on top of your tongue (usually white or yellow) holds smelly bacteria? When you eat something, it always touches your tongue. Even when you drink water after, there is still food residue on the tongue.
Use a tongue scraper to clean your tongue after you have brushed your teeth. It is common for people to just use their toothbrush and brush their tongue. This is wrong as the bristles are not meant for the soft tongue and will irritate your taste buds.
Use A Mouthwash/Mouth Rinse
There is always a debate about using a mouthwash/mouth rinse and its effectiveness. As much as they sound similar, both products are quite different. A mouthwash is used at the end of brushing and flossing while a mouth rinse is used before.
In the oral hygiene routine, you can choose to have it before or after. These products help to rinse your mouth, in between the teeth, the inside cheeks, tongue and even throat. With the protective components within it, the solution leaves your mouth feeling fresh and clean.
Stop Smoking
Actually, it is more on removing any habits involving tobacco, whether it’s smoking or chewing it. It not only stains your teeth and damages your gums but it gives out a horrible odour from your mouth. This is why people can usually tell if someone is smoking the moment they start talking.
You can always find alternatives to stop your smoking habit. It may be an easy or a long, difficult journey. But if you truly want to get rid of your bad breath, then you have to find the solutions. Over-the-counter nicotine patches and medications are able to assist with a mild addiction. However, if one is a chain smoker, he or she might need to see a doctor and attend programmes to quit smoking.
Friendly reminder: Smoking kills so you’re keeping your mouth and body healthy when you quit.
Avoid Dry Mouth
Dry mouth is due to the lack of saliva secretion in your mouth. When there is less saliva, it is difficult to flush out bacteria. This will cause bad breath and even tooth decay if not treated. You can feel this quite easily by observing your lips. A slight change, like flakiness or soreness, could indicate that you need to drink more water and moisturise your mouth.
To prevent dry mouth, keep yourself hydrated at all times. You can also eat juicy fruits that put more fluid into your body and secrete more saliva.
Change Your Diet
Who would’ve thought that food had something to do with your bad breath? We all know that food particle that is left in the mouth will break down and form the bad-breath bacteria. However, some types of food contribute even more.
Stay away from food like onions and garlic that are known for causing bad breath. Avoid sugary food as well, like sugary gums and mints. This type produces acid that wears your teeth down and causes bad breath.
Change Oral Products Regularly
When was the last time you changed any of your oral products? Your toothbrush, toothpaste, floss, mouthwash have their own lifespan. It is not recommended to use them longer than intended as their effectiveness will be worn out. When they are worn out, they do not serve the purpose of cleaning the mouth and providing fresh breath.
Here are some lifespans you need to keep in mind:
- Toothbrush – 3 to 4 months
- Toothpaste – 2 years
- String floss – 1 year
- Water flosser – 3 to 6 months
- Mouthwash/mouth rinse – 3 years
Maintain Healthy Gums
Unhealthy gums are a result of a poor dental routine. Gum diseases like gingivitis are one of the main reasons that cause bad breath. This is because of the bacteria from the food particles that are stuck in the pockets near the teeth.
To keep healthy gums, you need to use the right oral products. This includes a toothbrush, toothpaste, floss and even mouthwash. The gums must be gently cleaned and massaged during the routine as to avoid inflammation and irritation.
Clean Dental Fittings
For those who have dental fittings, like dentures, invisible aligners, wire braces, etc., you would need to take extra care to ensure they are clean. When you don’t clean frequently, they will be a ground for bacteria to grow and when you use them, it causes bad breath to seep out.
These fittings and implants need to be cleaned every day with a cleaning liquid. You may ask your dentist for this or buy them from pharmacies.
Visit Your Dentist
Visiting a dentist should be a frequent affair of a minimum every six months. If you have had bad breath for quite some time, you should consult your dentist. Especially if you have tried everything you could on your own.
This is because there is a possibility that it could be an underlying deeper issue. It is wise to allow the dentist to do a full check-up and prescribe you the right treatments for a healthier mouth and fresh breath.
Conclusion
In conclusion, bad breath is an embarrassing oral problem but it is definitely fixable. You will need to put in some effort to tackle it. Then, to maintain fresh breath, ensure that your oral hygiene habit is properly done.
Should all else fail and you need emergency bad breath treatment, just put on some mouth spray in the meantime! Let share this article The 11 Ways How to Get Rid of Bad Breath with your friends who have bad breath problem if you think useful.