Halitosis, otherwise known as bad breath, can impact your social life and self-confidence. Don’t worry; help is at hand. Our tips can give you the ability to conquer your halitosis once and for all.
Practice Good Oral Hygiene
The oral hygiene habits recommended by dentists do more than keep tooth decay and gum disease at bay. They’ll also freshen your breath.
Brush and floss your teeth at least twice each day. Brushing after mealtimes will remove the food particles that can taint your breath. Pay particular attention to the inside of your cheeks, as bacteria often accumulates in these spots. Food, drinks, and the body’s natural processes can also leave bacteria on your tongue, so make sure you give the tongue some extra attention, too. Brushing your tongue with your toothbrush or using a tongue scraper will keep it clean. Rinse your mouth with water or a mouthwash to remove any lingering debris.
Halitosis is a common symptom of dry mouth. When your mouth is dry, it doesn’t have enough saliva to wash away food particles and bacteria. Correcting dry mouth can be as simple as staying hydrated. Drinking water is one of the simplest and best ways to boost saliva production. Keep a bottle of water with you at all times so that you can take a sip of water when you feel parched.
Chew Sugar-Free Gum
Chewing gum boosts saliva production, and it’s another great way to combat dry mouth. Chewing a minty gum will leave your mouth smelling as fresh as it does after brushing your teeth. Make sure your gum is sugar-free to protect your teeth from decay.
Avoid Food and Drink Triggers
Certain foods and drinks can make your breath smell bad. These items include garlic, coffee, onions, and alcohol. Don’t think you can indulge and simply clean your teeth to hide the evidence. The substances that impact your breath can enter your bloodstream and travel to your lungs, waiting for you to breathe out and spread their odours. Stay away from these foods and drinks entirely if you’re self-conscious about your breath.
Eat Zinc-Rich Foods
Many people who suffer from halitosis have low zinc levels. Zinc is a natural antimicrobial that keeps your mouth clean and free from smelly bacteria. You can boost your body’s zinc levels by eating foods rich in this mineral, including oysters, beef, firm tofu, lentils, low-fat yogurt, and pumpkin seeds. Alcohol decreases zinc absorption, which provides another reason to pass on the cocktails.
Chew Parsley After Meals
A sprig of parsley always makes a meal look better, but don’t be so hasty to toss your garnish to one side. Parsley contains chlorophyll, a natural deodorizer proven to freshen breath. Simply chew on the leaves after your meal to unlock its powerful breath-boosting benefits.
Use Natural Oils
Several natural oils can fight against bad breath. Peppermint oil is one of the best natural oils for this purpose. Its strong minty taste neutralizes odours while its antiseptic properties kill germs and bacteria that cause tooth decay and plaque. However, peppermint oil is not your only option.
Tea tree oil is antibacterial, which will wipe out foul-smelling bacteria in your mouth. If dry mouth causes your halitosis, try lemon oil. This natural deodorizer also boosts saliva production. Thyme oil can destroy more than 60 different bacterial strains including Staphylococcus, Enterococcus, and Escherichia. Pathogenic organisms causing bad breath, gum disease, and tooth decay are no match for its key ingredient, thymol.
You can harness the power of natural oils in several ways. Sprinkle a little oil over your toothpaste before cleaning your teeth or apply a few drops straight to your tongue. Look for dental hygiene products containing these natural oils to make your breath smell fresher.
Smoking is not only hazardous to your health, but it’s also bad for your breath. Foul-smelling smoke particles linger in the mouth, throat, and lungs long after you stub out a cigarette, which creates an unappealing stale aroma. Smokers are also more likely to develop gum disease, which contributes to bad breath, than nonsmokers. Smoking also dries out the mouth, leaving less saliva to wash away food particles and bacteria. Improving your breath is a great reason to quit smoking.
See Your Dentist Regularly
Bad breath can also be a symptom of poor oral health. See your dentist for regular checkups. Your dentist will thoroughly examine your mouth and diagnose any problems in your mouth. If you attend regular appointments, these problems are likely to be minor, but they could easily turn into major ones if left unchecked. Thorough cleaning of your teeth is a part of every routine dental visit. You may be surprised how much fresher your breath will be after your dentist removes plaque from your teeth.
Your local 123Dentist dental professional can diagnose oral health problems that can cause halitosis. Find a dental clinic near you.