Everyone has bad breath (also known as halitosis) at some points of time, such as in the morning when you wake up. But persistent bad breath is something which you should not accept as a norm. In this article you will find tips on how to get rid of bad breath.
People having persistent bad breath feel embarrassed and remain self-conscious. You cannot smell your own bad breath, as you become accustomed to the smell in your own mouth. So if you blow into your hand, you can’t detect the true quality of your own breath. It is other who can smell your bad breath. Here is a simple test to check it. Lick the inside of your wrist. Let the saliva dry for 10 seconds and smell it. If it smells bad, you can be certain your breath is too. Alternatively, you can ask your closest buddy in whom you have absolute trust to smell your breath.
What Causes Bad Breath: We will tell you later about how to cure bad breath. First you should know what are the causes of bad breath.
In most cases bad breath is caused by poor dental hygiene. Morsels of food which get caught between the teeth or stuck onto your tongue decay with time and produce foul smell.
Then consuming the strong stinky foods like garlic, raw onion, coffee and some medicines, etc. is another major short term bad breath cause.
The build-up of debris and bits of rotting foods on the surface of tonsils (called as tonsil stones) is also one of the causes of bad breath.
However, Bacteria are 90% of bad breath causes. Bacteria break down food in your mouth and, in the process produce odorous compounds. Morning is the time when you have most foul smell, since your mouth has been dry the whole night, allowing bacteria enough time to work their stinking magic.
Medical conditions, such as dry mouth, diabetes, gastritis, infections in the throat, nose or lungs, liver and kidney are other causes of bad breath.
How To Get Rid Of Bad Breath: Here are the best ways to prevent bad breath:
1. The two major causes of bad breath are bacteria and decaying food particles in your mouth. Taking good oral hygiene care of your mouth is one of the best home remedies for bad breath:
(i) Brush your teeth: Brush your teeth twice a day. Choose a fluoride tooth paste. Regular brushing in the correct way is crucial to prevent bad breath. There are hundreds of nooks and crevices in your mouth which can be a play-ground for these rotting morsels to get lodged and work on producing stinking smell.
(ii) Clean your tongue: Brushing alone is not enough. Sixty percent of the bad breath is due to plaque and bacteria that gather on your tongue, especially on the back. Your tongue is the prime breeding ground for these two harmful rotting materials. One of the best ways to cure bad breath is to clear away this offending plaque and bacteria with a tongue scraper twice a day. Alternatively, you can also use your brush or the edge of a spoon for this purpose.
(iii) Swish the water: Make it a habit to take a sip of water after you have any food and swish the water around your mouth between the teeth to clear the debris.
(iv) Floss your teeth: Flossing removes food particles trapped between your teeth. These food particles would otherwise remain lodged between your teeth and decay with time producing smells emitting form your mouth.
(v) Use mouthwash: Many of the mouthwashes are alcohol-based. Avoid these, as alcohol-based mouthwashes dry out and irritate your mouth. Preferably use that contains zinc chloride, chloehexidine or hydrogen peroxide.
(2) Keep your mouth moisturized: Your saliva is enemy of the bad breath. It contains crucial protective enzymes and has antiseptic properties that kill harmful bacteria. A dry mouth aggravates stinky smell in your mouth. Your mouth produces less saliva as you sleep at night that is why you can notice worst smell emitting from your mouth in the morning. So stay hydrated and keep your mouth properly moisturized to stimulate the salivary glands.
Chew sugar free gums to stimulate saliva production. They also come scented to cover your mouth odor. Do not use sugary brands, as they add to your problems. Bacteria in your mouth tend to ferment sugar, which contributes to production of bad breath. Cut down on consumption of sugar otherwise also.
Certain medications or medical conditions can also cause dry mouth. If such is the case, ask your doctor to switch to other medicines or consult your dentist to recommend such mouthwash or toothpaste that are specially formulated to tackle your dry mouth and help in providing salivary substitutes to lubricate the tissues in your mouth.
Drink water regularly throughout the day and swish it between your teeth from side to side. Water does not help in producing saliva, but it will keep your mouth moisturized.
(3) Some more bad breath remedies:
(i) When you brush, make it a habit to brush your tongue also to clear the decaying food morsels sticking to the surface of your tongue.
(ii) Cider vinegar also helps in preventing bad breath. Take a little of cider vinegar mix with water before brushing and swish between teeth and from one side to the other side of mouth.
(iii) You can also try rinsing your mouth with a little of lemon juice mix with water during the day.
(iv) Make it your habit to floss your teeth in the morning and rinse your mouth with alcohol free mouthwash twice a day. However, remember mouthwash is a temporary fix only.
(v) Eat cinnamon to reduce bacteria counts in your mouth.
(vi) Drink green tea, as it contains catechinto a powerful antioxidant which can get your mouth rid of bacteria. Bacteria cause stinky smells.
(vii) Cardamom is a natural breath freshener and has antibacterial properties. Cardamom is a rich source of a compound called cineole, a powerful antiseptic that kills bacteria and lessens bad breath.
(viii) Drink water to keep your mouth moisturized as it helps in reducing growth of bacteria which otherwise would cause bad breath.
Bad breath can sometimes be an underlying symptom of some other health problems, such as liver problems, reflux, diabetes and sinus infections. If you notice after following above tips about how to get rid of bad breath that it still persists, it may be due to certain medical problems about which you need to consult your doctor and get proper treatment.
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