Foul breath is common in the mornings, but that not-so-fresh smell can strike at anytime, yes even during a make out session (ughh!). Bad breath (also known as halitosis) is an embarrassing problem that can occur to anyone at anytime and can even be a persistent condition. Before you pop that breath mint, we tell you how to banish bad breath for good and keep your mouth fresh always.
How Is Bad Breath Caused?
The food you eat can be an important factor (we all know the effects of onions and garlic) but 90% of bad breath is caused by bacteria, which release an odour while breaking down food and saliva in the mouth. Long intervals between meals can also contribute to the smell as bacteria can accumulate in the oral cavity when there isn’t enough saliva to cleanse them out.
Tips To Banish Bad Breath
Many people can have bad breath without even realizing it (yup, it’s happened to all of us), follow these tips to ensure it never happens again.
1. Brush and Floss
Well yeah, we all know that but how often do you really brush your teeth? There are millions of germs and bacteria setting up home in your mouth, the food you eat is their food so it’s important to clean your mouth thoroughly. Brush your teeth religiously twice a day and floss once a day to remove any food trapped between your teeth and gums letting smell-causing bacteria to thrive.
2. Clean Your Tongue
Your tongue is rich in plenty of odour-causing bacteria as well as food debris so it’s super important to keep it clean. Use your toothbrush to brush the surface of your tongue or a hand-held tongue cleaner to feel oh-so-fresh.
3. Keep A Water Bottle Handy
Drink plenty of water to avoid a dry mouth and keep that odour under control. Water will wash away food particles and bacteria and keep foul-smelling breath at bay. It also helps produce more saliva, which is a natural antibacterial and helps cleanse your mouth so always stay hydrated.
4. Visit A Dentist
If bad breath is a chronic problem, it’s important to visit your dentist as it could be caused by underlying dental or internal problems
5. Examine What’s On Your Plate
What you eat can gravely contribute to how your mouth smells. There are certain kinds of food, besides onion and garlic that are surprising culprits behind bad breath. Meat has a tendency to get stuck between your teeth and gums, which attract bacteria. Diets that are low on carbs are important to weight-conscious people but can cause your body to burn fat instead of sugar and cause bad breath.
6. Make It A Point To Rinse
One effective way to fight embarrassing odours is to rinse your mouth after eating or drinking. Fizzy, acidic drinks fluctuate the pH levels in your mouth which really contribute to the production of smelly bacteria. Remember to rinse your mouth after every meal and every drink- especially alcoholic drinks, your evening coffee or your fave cola.
7. Pop a Sugarless Gum
Popping a mint may temporarily salvage the problem but not for very long as it won’t help kill bacteria. In fact, a mint or gum that contains sugar will only add to the problem as it will attract more bacteria. Sucking on a sugarless mint or gum is a much smarter idea as it will help produce more saliva to fight bacteria and wash away food particles.
8. Eat These Herbs
Naturally flavourful herbs like mint, parsley, basil and cilantro fight that unpleasant odour in your mouth as they contain chlorophyll, which is a natural breath neutralizer. Chewing on these herbs help release essential oils that can save your breath. Boil them into your tea or blend into fresh juices to refresh your mouth. Also green tea, after a meal can help keep your breath fresher.
9. Blame It On Cigarettes
This is just another thing on the never-ending list of the ills of smoking. Cigarettes release a bevvy of chemicals into your mouth as well as form plaque that helps harbor germs and bacteria. Plus, it also contributes to drying your mouth so there isn’t enough saliva to fight the bacteria. Kick the bud to instantly lead to a fresher-smelling mouth.
10. Fresh-Smelling Snacks
There are certain foods that taste great and also leave your breath smelling sweeter and fresher. Fruits and vegetables help the production of saliva to wash away bacteria. Vitamin C is great for fighting bacteria so fruits like oranges, melons and and berries perfect to munch on. Crunchy, fiber-packed foods like apples, cucumbers and celery are also good to snack on in-between meals to prevent your breath from souring.
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