Bad Breath: An Unfortunate Fact of Life
Everybody has bad breath now and then, depending on what you’ve eaten and what time of day it is. But besides the run-of-the-mill garlic breath, some people have chronic breath problems. If that sounds like you, see your dentist. He or she may be able to help you develop a plan to deal with the problem. And if the cause is poor dental hygiene or gum disease, your dentist is the obvious choice for help.
Halitosis
The medical term is halitosis, and most of the time, it is caused by bacteria (known as anaerobic oral bacteria) that builds up on the tongue and around and between the teeth. It could just be that a person is not taking good care of his or her teeth. Or, it could mean something more serious, like intestinal problems.
When you wake up in the morning, you may be able tell you have bad breath just by the pasty feel in your mouth. Most of the time though, you probably can’t tell if your bad is questionable until you get an embarrassing reaction from other people. Your nose tends to filter out some background odors, making it unlikely that you can tell if you have bad breath. Leftover particles and other debris that aren’t removed from your mouth begin to emit a sulfurous substance that can become very smelly. Sounds disgusting, doesn’t it?
Stress or an unhealthy diet can also be the culprit. But there are some causes of bad breath that are more serious, like diabetes, drugs, gum disease, heavy metal accumulation, infection, liver disease.
Here are some common sense tips to help you prevent bad breath:
- Brush and Floss, if that’s not enough, try also brushing the roof of your mouth and your cheeks.
Intra-Dental Devices, instead of flossing you can use an intra-dental device, a small ski-shaped flexible instrument that glides between your teeth to remove debris. - Clean Your Toothbrush, clean your toothbrush often and replace it regularly.
Use Mouthwash, find one without alcohol, dye, or flavor, all of which can actually make the problem worse.
Clean Food From Between Teeth, beware foods that get stuck in your teeth or leave a film (cheese is an excellent example).
Stay Stress Free, learn to relax so you avoid stress.
Chew Parsley, which has properties that will act as a natural mouthwash.
Other Points To Remember
It won’t surprise you to learn that your breath can be affected by strong foods. Eat a plate of garlicky dish and you’ll pay the price, or at least those around you will. Foods like garlic are absorbed into your bloodstream and expelled through your lungs…thus the problem. Brushing, flossing, and mouth washing are only temporary cures.
Until the food has been completely eliminated from your body, you’re stuck with the smell, so be mindful of what you eat and when. If you’ve got a big interview in a day or two, do yourself and your interviewer a favor and hold the onions.
Before a big event (like a special date) you might be too nervous to eat, but sometimes an empty stomach can produce a sewer of breath. You don’t have to have a meal, but get a few crackers or some other bland food in your tummy.
Finally, saliva is key in keeping your breath normal. Just think how bad your mouth feels and tastes first thing in the morning if you slept with your mouth open. If your mouth dries out when you get nervous, keep it moist with water or hard candy or better still…a hard candy mint.
If This Doesn't Work Speak With Your Dentist
Most importantly, if you have bad breath that just won’t quit, talk to your dentist. If the cause is more significant than poor dental hygiene or eating habits, he or she will direct you to the next step in dealing with the problem.