Have you had any reason to stay away from a person because he or she has bad breath? This article will give you practical tips to help you get rid of bad breath.
Mouth odour (bad breath), also known as halitosis, is an embarrassing condition and affects one’s social life adversely. Different things might be responsible for mouth odours.
The manner of brushing goes a long way in either causing mouth odour or preventing it. I have met lots of people with mouth odour and each time I asked what they were doing about it, I get a “nothing” response! This is disheartening for me. Sadly, some of them don’t even know they have mouth odours until they were told.
So how can you check you have mouth odour? I use a very simple method that you can also apply, place your palms over your face and breathe into it. You will be able to perceive your own breath and with that you would know where you stand.
Did it smell awful? Don’t get scared. Don’t feel bad. You can deal with it as long as you are committed towards it.
5 PRACTICAL WAYS TO GET RID OF BAD BREATH
#1: BRUSH YOUR TEETH PROPERLY
Brushing twice a day with fluoride toothpaste to remove food particles that may be hanging around the teeth. The particles invite microbes into your mouth to feed and they end up spoiling your breath. You should brush for 120 seconds each time you brush. Did that appear long? It is not… that’s just 2 minutes. You can also keep a toothbrush in your bag.
Don’t forget the parts people usually forget if you want to get rid of bad breath:
• Brush the inner surfaces of your upper and lower teeth
• Clean the chewing surfaces
• Be sure to brush your tongue.
#2: USE MOUTH RINSES AND WASHES REGULARLY
If you stay in Lagos like I do, brushing twice a day may be a herculean task! So what I advise is that you get a mouthwash that you could easily use at night. This must be after you’ve eaten everything for the night. I have seen people use mouth rinses as if they are drinking water (not that they swallow it though!) You should gargle the mouthwash in your mouth and leave for a while to penetrate through the corners of the teeth.
Some good alcohol-free mouth washes or rinses are Listerine and Oral B.
#3: RINSE YOUR MOUTH WITH WATER FREQUENTLY
Each time you eat, there are food particles having a party in-between the teeth and in your mouth! You may not be able to carry mouth rinses around hence I recommend that you rinse with water after meals (especially sugary foods). Just rinse and gargle the water and spit out; this way you would have eliminated every food particle at least to a large extent.
#4: MOISTEN YOUR MOUTH OCCASIONALLY
It is important that you keep your mouth moist. Dry mouth causes bad breath. Try to talk in-between jobs so as to keep saliva flowing. Chewing gum would help as well. These gums should not contain sugar so your teeth won’t get hurt. Chewing sugar-free gums are helpful as they stimulate the production of saliva, which helps wash away food particles and bacteria, thereby getting rid of bad breath. Gums and mints containing xylitol are usually recommended.
#5: VISIT YOUR DENTIST BIANNUALLY
Make sure you have regular dental check up, at least twice a year. He will conduct an oral exam and professional teeth cleaning and will be able to detect and treat periodontal disease, dry mouth, or other problems that may be the cause of mouth odour. You could then relate any problems you have with bad breath. He would help you detect the cause and proffer helpful solutions.
OTHER HELPFUL TIPS FOR GETTING RID OF BAD BREATH
- Use Dental Floss : Ever heard of dental floss — a soft thread of floss silk or similar material used to clean between the teeth? They help remove the tiny particles that the gargling of water won’t remove.
Keep Dentures Clean: Dentures should be removed at night and cleaned thoroughly before being placed in your mouth the next morning. This is important because the dentures have accumulated saliva which is a culture medium for bacteria in the mouth.
Stop smoking and chewing tobacco-based products.
Keep a log of the foods you eat. If you think they may be causing bad breath, bring the log to your dentist to review. Similarly, make a list of the medications you take. Some drugs may play a role in creating mouth odours. If you are a kind of person who takes garlic for example, you can be sure that your breath would be that of garlic. For example, never make the mistake of eating fish before an outing otherwise you would become a fish yourself!
Avoid Sugary Sodas and soft drinks. Avoid the sugary substances altogether and just drink the water.
ALSO READ: 7 REASONS WHY I DON’T SMOKE CIGARETTES!
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