If you have concerns with bad breath, you are not alone. According to the American Dental Hygienists’ Association, 40 million Americans suffer from issues with bad breath.
Does bad breath creep into your personal or professional life? Do you ever feel self-conscious when you speak with others? We’d like to recommend a few simple solutions.
1. Keep Your Mouth Clean
Brush and Floss Consistently
Brush twice a day and floss at least once, preferably at night. Maintaining a regular regimen of brushing and flossing will not only keep your teeth healthy, but also remove bad smelling bacteria from between your teeth.
Scrape Your Tongue
When you brush your teeth, gently brush your tongue with your toothbrush or buy a tongue scraper to do the job. Bad smelling bacteria often live in the natural whitish coating on your tongue.
Use Mouthwash
Because bad smelling bacteria can buildup in hard to reach places, we recommend using an antibacterial mouthwash as part of your oral hygiene routine.
2. Watch What You Put in Your Mouth
Avoid Smelly Foods
If it smells bad going in, it will probably smell bad when you breathe it out. Onions and tuna do not magically change their smell as your body processes them. In fact, these foods actually enter your blood stream during digestion, traveling to your lungs to keep the nasty smell alive as you breathe. The smell will remain until these foods have been completely digested.
Consume Breath-Helping Food and Drink
Certain foods and drink can help reduce bacteria and keep your breath smelling nice. Here are a few breath-helping foods and drinks.
Foods – Parsley, Yogurt, Apples, Pears, Oranges, Melons, Berries, Carrots, Celery, Cucumbers, and Almonds.
Drink – Water (lots of it) and Green Tea.
Chew Sugar-Free Gum After Meals
Chewing Sugar-Free gum produces more saliva, which works to chase away food particles before they have a chance to breakdown, decay, and smell.
3. Visit Greentree Regularly
Regular visits can help you avoid other bad breath culprits like gum disease and issues with a persistently dry mouth. Be aware that chronic bad breath may point to more a serious medical condition like diabetes, lung infection, sinus infection, and even liver or kidney disease.
If you’ve tried it all and you can’t seem to chase the bad breath away, come see us. We are here to help. Please contact the Greentree team today for an appointment.
