It may seem as if you have been doing everything that you can to get rid of your bad breath but to no avail. Perhaps you are doing the things that you are supposed to but you are just not doing them correctly. In this article, we will discuss the answer to the question, “how to get rid of bad breath?”
How to Get Rid of Bad Breath
The recommendations that follow will show you how to get rid of bad breath and maintain your breath fresh. Keep in mind that bad breath can be a symptom of a more serious condition, such as gum disease. If the methods listed here do not help you get rid of bad breath, you may want to consult a specialist. That being said, it is still wise to follow at least some of these recommendations, if you want to maintain your teeth and gums health, and your breath fresh.
1. Brush and floss more
One of the easiest tricks when it comes to keeping your breath fresh is doing more of something that you already do every day: brushing and flossing your teeth. You want to do it twice a day, but you can choose to do it more often than that when you have eaten food that is sticking to your teeth.
When food sticks to your teeth, it causes plaque which can house odor-causing bacteria. Remembering to floss is an important step in oral care, as flossing gets the plaque out of places in the mouth that a toothbrush alone just cannot reach.
2. Rinse your mouth out regularly
Alongside providing you with fresher breath, mouthwash can also get rid of bacteria. In fact, the removal of the bacteria in the mouth can help your mouth stay cleaner for longer. Mouthwash can give you that minty flavor that will make your breath fresh and have you feeling better about yourself.
It is important that you choose mouthwash that is going to kill the germs in your mouth for that reason; you do not want it to simply mask the smell for a few minutes. You will be able to find germ-killing mouthwash just about anywhere, and it will be labeled as such on the actual outside label.
Rinse daily with this mouthwash and see all of the difference in the world. This will allow you to stop bad breath in its tracks right at the source.
3. Avoid foods that make your breath sour
There are a few kinds of foods that can almost immediately make your breath taste worse, such as onions and garlic. Even so, rushing to brush your teeth right after consuming them will not necessarily help.
Sulphur molecules in garlic and onions are the cause of these odors that are able to get into our bloodstream. The American Dental Association says that these can travel to your lungs through your bloodstream and will cause you to exhale their scent.
The best way to avoid this is to not eat them altogether. If that is not an option for you, then just avoid eating them before going to work or being around a lot of people.
4. Scrape your tongue
There is a coating that normally forms on your tongue when you eat or in between brushes. This is usually where a lot of bacteria sticks. In order to get rid of these bacteria, it is a good idea to scrape your tongue. You can brush it with a toothbrush, or you can get a tongue scraper.
These scrapers are designed specifically for you to use to scrape the tongue area. They apply even pressure across the entirety of your tongue. This can take away bacteria, dead cells and food debris that brushing your tongue alone won’t be able to take care of.
5. Quit smoking or chewing tobacco
Alongside being a huge factor in the development of cancer, smoking can stain your teeth, harm your gums and give you bad breath. You can get over-the-counter nicotine patches that you can wear to curb the cravings. You can also try using an electronic cigarette to dwindle down and quit.
Feel free to ask your doctor about any programs they might know around town. There are usually support groups and even unique programs designed to help people quit smoking. Your doctor might prescribe you prescription medication that can be used to quit smoking as well and dissolve urges from the inside out.
6. Chew gum instead of an after-dinner mint
The bacteria that live in your mouth thrive on sugar. These bacteria use the sugar that you eat and transform it into acid. This acid is bad as it wears down the enamel and other parts of your teeth while causing bad breath at the same time. If you want to skip the sugary mints, you can opt for chewing sugarless gum instead.
This kind of gum won’t leave sugar in the mouth and it will stimulate the flow of saliva. This saliva is the way that your mouth naturally defends itself from plaque and acid. These are the main culprits of bad breath and tooth decay.
7. Moisten your mouth
By keeping your mouth moist, you can help stop bad breath. This can also help stop tooth decay. These two things are common in people whose mouths do not produce enough saliva. If your mouth is dry, be sure that you are drinking a lot of water during the day.
There are other ways that you can keep your mouth moist as well. Find ways to stimulate the flow of saliva. You can do this by sucking on a piece of sugarless hard candy or by chewing sugarless gum. A humidifier at night can help moisten the air in your room to help lessen dry mouth.
8. Keep your gums healthy
Having gum disease can make your breath smell bad. This is because the bacteria in your mouth from food and other sources gathers and gets stuck at the base of your teeth. This can generate an unpleasant odor.
If you do find that you have gum disease, your dentist may recommend a periodontist and will help you locate one in your area. These doctors are specialized in caring for gum disease and other types of problems in that part of the mouth.
Conclusion
In this article, we have taken a look at the different ways for you to get rid of bad breath. Check out these different methods for yourself and see how they work. Have we neglected to mention your tried and true way? Tell us about it in the comments section below.
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