Bad breath? We’ve all been there. Morning breath is one thing, but if you’ve found yourself constantly suffering from bad breath, you probably need to make a few changes to your oral hygiene regimen. Bad breath, also known as halitosis, is not only unpleasant to those around you, but can also make you feel self-conscious about speaking. Lucky for you, we’ve compiled a few tips to get rid of that bad breath!
Tips for Treating Bad Breath
- More frequent cleaning. Believe it or not, the bacteria that causes bad breath is actually caused by the plaque on and between your teeth. One of the best ways to avoid bad breath is to do your best to brush and floss more frequently. If you already brush twice a day, try brushing three time a day. Bring a toothbrush with you to work and brush after lunchtime. Be sure to keep up with flossing everyday as well to get rid of that hard-to-reach plaque between your teeth.
- Rinse. Use mouthwash with an anti-bacterial agent after eating for a quick cleaning. Also, use mouthwash with a fluoride after brushing to prevent plaque buildup and tooth decay.
- Don’t skip your tongue. When brushing, don’t forget to also brush your tongue. Your tongue forms a coating that is a host to bacteria, and for that reason it’s important to keep it clean. If you don’t want to use your toothbrush, pick up a tongue scraper at the store. It can easily reach the back of your tongue to get rid of those foul-smelling bacteria.
- Skip the onions and garlic. If you know you’ll be going somewhere and speaking with someone important, such as a business meeting, skip the onions on your sandwich at lunch. The best way to avoid bad breath is to avoid eating foods that cause bad breath for the time being.
- Quit smoking. Smoking is extremely detrimental to your mouth as a whole. It’s been known to cause oral cancer, damage the gum tissue, and stain your teeth. In addition, it causes bad breath. For help with quitting, talk to your doctor.
- Choose sugar-free gum. When leaving a restaurant, we often take a few mints to enjoy on the ride home to freshen our breath. However, the sugars in those mints actually help mouth bacteria to grow and can add to existing bad breath. Instead, stimulate saliva (a natural plaque fighter) by chewing sugarless gum.
If you would like more information on how to treat bad breath, or think its time for a visit to the dentist, call Olney Dental! You can reach us at (301) 250-1057 or, you can schedule an appointment online.You can also connect with us on Facebook, Twitter, Google+, Pinterest, and YouTube.