Get Rid Of Bad Breath With Proper Oral Hygiene

Whether you call it halitosis, garlic breath, dragon breath or stomatodysodia, one thing is for sure, bad breath is not pleasant. Even worse, for something so bad, the condition is actually quite common. In fact, as many as 80 million Americans suffer from bad breath. Let’s take a look at a few ways to get rid of bad breath and get a little more confident.

What Causes Bad Breath

Bad breath isn’t always bad. In fact, in some cases, it’s considered fairly normal for breath to smell. For example, your mouth usually produces a bad smell right after you wake up. This is because your body makes much less saliva at night, and without as much saliva to wash away decaying food and smell, your mouth becomes dry and smells bad as a result.

More often than not, however, bad breath is caused by something else entirely, such as:

• Mouth infections – Leaving cavities and/or gum disease untreated can make your mouth and breath smell bad, among many other things
• Lack of oral hygiene – Not brushing and flossing your teeth enough allows food stuck in between the teeth to decay in the mouth. This encourages even more bacteria to grow inside the mouth than normal and increases your risk for gum disease, both of which can cause bad breath.
• Food and beverages – Eating garlic, onions, chewing tobacco, and drinking coffee have all been known to cause an unpleasant smell in the mouth. The same goes for smoking. For healthier, fresher breath, it’s recommended to minimize eating garlics and onions, and if possible, avoid smoking and chewing tobacco.
• Dry mouth – Your breath is also more likely to smell bad if you’re a notorious “mouth breather” or have problems with your salivary gland. Many prescription and over-the-counter drugs have also been known to cause dry mouth.
• Illnesses – Diabetes, liver disease, kidney disease, lung disease, sinus disease, and reflux disease, among many others, are also known to cause mouth odor.
• Pseudo halitosis – There are also cases where people believe they have bad breath, even when their breath smells fine.

What You Can Do About It

More often than not, bad breath can easily be prevented by simply doing the right things, such as:

• Brush and floss regularly – Maintaining proper oral hygiene is the best way to prevent bacteria and plaque buildup in the mouth, preventing bad breath, as well as a number of oral problems. Ideally, you’ll want to brush after every meal and floss at least once a day.
• Drink lots and lots of water – Prevent dry mouth by drinking plain water regularly throughout the day. Avoid sugary drinks such as carbonated water and sodas as much as possible.
• Eat well – Making sure that you eat a proper and healthy meal regularly is also another way to help keep your breath in check.
• Use a fluoride rinse – Using an alcohol-free fluoride rinse instead of an antibacterial mouthwash that likely contains alcohol is also another way to minimize bacteria in the mouth and further prevent your breath from smelling bad.
• Visit your dentist – If all else fails and nothing seems to work, consult your dentist. Halitosis can sometimes be a symptom of a more serious, underlying condition.

Don’t let bad breath prevent you from making a good impression. Do something about it today and enjoy fresher breath as soon as tomorrow! Contact Dr. Graham Farless in Greensboro, NC today by calling 336-282-2868 or visit the website at www.gsodentist.com.