According to studies, the leading cause of bad breath is poor oral hygiene. Thereafter it’s sometimes caused by the food you eat and dental appliances you wear. Taking care of bad breath requires a bi-annual trip to the dentist and maintenance at home. A dentist helps you stay on track and spots the sources of less than fresh breath.
The following are five ways to keep your breath fresh in between dental visits.
- Brush and Floss Daily
To prevent bad breath, brush your teeth twice a day and floss daily. When brushing your teeth, it’s important to go beyond the motions. As you brush, your goal is to remove plaque, any food stuck in-between the teeth, and the thin film that coats them.
Starchy, acidic, and sugary foods negatively impact your teeth, but it’s difficult to stay away from them 100%. When you consume these items, remember that you must brush to remove them.
Foods high in starch contain sugar and melt into the crevices between each tooth. They’re tough to spot in those hiding places, but flossing helps lift them out.
Anything stuck in between or on your teeth combines with your mouth’s bacteria and saliva. If they sit in your mouth for an extended period, it causes bad breath because it’s decaying.
If you get rid of the particles, you’ll experience fresher breath.
- Rinse Your Mouth
Rinsing your mouth with mouthwash or hydrogen peroxide with water is another way to keep your breath fresh. Some food particles stay stubborn and stuck on teeth. Many times it’s necessary to combine flossing, brushing, and rinsing for best results.
Another tool at your disposal is the water flosser. The pressured water helps loosen seeds, crumbs, and particles hiding in hard-to-reach areas.
A clean mouth leads to fresh breath. Plus you can purchase toothpaste, floss, and mouthwash that leaves behind a fresh feeling.
- Maintain Your Gum’s Health
Your gum’s health determines the freshness of your breath. Halitosis is an advanced case of bad breath. To alleviate, obtain a diagnosis from your dentist.
If you experience bleeding or swelling gums, it’s probably the reason why your breath smells. Gums bleed when plaque or food sits on them for extended periods. If the food particle is stubborn enough, bad breath occurs within hours.
Periodontal disease causes halitosis too. Infected gums lead to the disease. The infection comes from a lack of cleanings. You don’t see the film developing on your teeth daily. However, it’s obvious on the x-rays your dentist takes during a visit. When the film coating your teeth touches your gums, they react to it.
Signs of periodontal disease include sensitivity, pus, and bad breath. A professional dental deep cleaning takes care of the disease when the case isn’t severe. Then your dentist gives you maintenance instructions.
Once you get your gums back into good shape, you’ll notice that the bad breath starts to subside.
Nighttime teeth grinders might notice gum issues that lead to bad breath too. In this case, a night guard from JS Dental prevents further gum damage and recession that create bad breath.
- Skip Smoking
When you walk by a smoker, the smell is obvious. Second-hand smoke releases a pungent odor, so it’s not a surprise that the smoker develops bad breath.
Keep in mind that cigarettes contain arsenic, formaldehyde, and ammonia as ingredients. The combination of ingredients dries out the smoker’s mouth. These ingredients also make themselves at home there.
Those who desire fresh breath must skip the smoking habit. It keeps the toxic ingredients away from your mouth and your overall health.
- Avoid Dry Mouth
A dry mouth stems from a lack of saliva and leads to bad breath. Smoking and drinking contain ingredients that dry out your mouth. Fresh breath means quitting these two habits or significantly reducing them.
A dry mouth also causes your lips to dry and crack. The dryness can cause sores too.
To relieve dry mouth, drink plenty of water, practice good oral hygiene and think twice about consuming products that dry it out, such as alcohol.
Achieving fresh breath has its perks. Moreover, fresh breath is a sign of a healthy mouth.
Conclusion
Fresh breath signals that you have healthy oral health. If you start to notice that it’s leaning toward bad, find the source. When you can’t find the source, visit your dentist’s office for a consultation or cleaning.
I’m a 20-something stay-at-home mother and wife. I have an amazing husband, a beautiful daughter, two loving dogs, and a lazy cat. I wouldn’t change my life for anything! I love to read, listen to music, cook and blog!
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