Follow these simple steps to make sure that your smile – and your breath – are making a good impression:
- Brush and floss frequently. The number one cause of bad breath is plaque. This tacky buildup sticks to the surface of your teeth and grows bacteria. Any food that is stuck between your teeth will add to the problem, as it decays over time. When you brush and floss your teeth, you are removing old food and bacteria-harboring plaque, thus removing odors.
- Scrape your tongue. While this might be the last thing that you think of doing on a given day, your tongue can be coated with a film that hosts bacteria. When you brush your teeth, simply take a few seconds to also brush your tongue, which will gently remove the film and the odor-causing bacteria.
- Avoid smelly foods. Foods like garlic and onions not only permeate your breath with their odors, but they find their way into your bloodstream and into your lungs where their smell comes out of your mouth and nose when you breathe. In order to avoid this problem, you must avoid eating these foods.
- Use rinse. Keep a travel-sized bottle of antibacterial mouth rinse with you and use it after meals. This not only freshens your breath, but will add an additional layer of protection to your mouth by reducing bacteria. Use the mouth rinse along with a follow-up rinse of regular water to completely wash away food particles.
- Chew gum. Rather than eating an after dinner mint, chew a piece of gum to stimulate saliva, which will naturally defend against plaque. Sucking on candies and mints will instead expose your teeth to sugar and encourage the growth of bacteria.
If following these tips doesn’t address your bad breath issues, make an appointment with your dentist for additional advice. You might be suffering from an undiagnosed medical condition, or have an oral health issue that needs to be addressed.