If you suspect you have chronic bad breath, the problem may be fairly easily resolved by dedicating yourself to good oral hygiene. Odor-causing bacteria often feed off plaque and food particles, so it is important to brush and floss regularly and thoroughly to keep this source in check. In fact, 90% of oral malodor problems can be successfully managed by taking good care of your mouth: proper brushing, flossing, tongue scraping and regular cleaning by a dentist or dental hygienist. Remember, it takes about three minutes to completely and thoroughly brush all tooth surfaces, yet most people only spend about 30-45 seconds brushing. If you suffer from chronic bad breath that is generally unaffected by cleaning your teeth at home, you should see a dentist right away. Your bad breath may be a symptom of a health problem, such as periodontal (gum) disease.
Another way to combat bad breath is to keep your mouth moist. Saliva is bad bacteria's natural enemy because the rinsing action brings oxygen to the various surfaces. In fact, dryness is the major cause of "morning" breath. When we sleep, we produce less saliva, which allows bacteria to build up and increases the overall odor. The same principle is also why sugar-free sour candies and chewing gums can help by stimulating the flow of saliva. Dry mouth is also related to stuffy noses, mouth breathing, medications such as antibiotics, caffeine and smoking.
You can also use mouth irrigators (water pics) to rinse your teeth and gums, though many people don't need them. These devices flush your gums with water or mouthwash, but they do not remove plaque buildup on your teeth. However, they can be very helpful for rinsing areas that brushing and flossing can't reach effectively, such as under bridges, around implants, and in large gum pockets that tend to act as food traps.
Simple Ways to Keep Your Breath Fresh- Brush your teeth properly.
- Use floss to clean between teeth.
- Buy a plastic tongue scraper and use it regularly to decrease the amount of bacteria at the back of your mouth.
- Keep your mouth moist-drink water, chew sugarless gum, or suck on sugarless sour candies.
- Avoid sulfur-containing foods, such as onions, garlic, and cabbage, if you have an important interview or meeting coming up. These foods naturally produce sulfurous gases as they are digested.
What Is Tongue Scraping?
Because such a large percentage of the "bad" bacteria live at the back of your mouth, feasting on food, mucous, plaque, and even post-nasal drip, tongue cleaning or scraping may be essential to getting to the root of bad breath. The practice of tongue scraping is an ancient and common breath treatment in many cultures. The benefits can be significant. Scraping your tongue will not only reduce the buildup of material at the back of the mouth, but it will also lower the amount of bacteria in your mouth, which can improve the overall health of your gum tissue.
To clean your tongue, do the following: Stick out your tongue as far as you can. Then put the tongue scraper as far back in your mouth as you can without gagging. Next, gently pull the scraper forward over your tongue. Then rinse the scraper off with water or mouthwash and repeat until no color comes off the scraper. Examples of tongue scrapers include the brands Oolitt and the OraSweet Tongue Cleaner.
What About Mouthwashes?
Although mouthwashes have been touted for years as solutions for breath problems, most only mask the problem for a few minutes and do nothing for chronic bad breath. Alcohol-based mouthwashes can actually exacerbate the problem because alcohol actually dries out the mouth and allows the bacteria to flourish. Only mouthwashes that contain a compound called chlorine dioxide are effective in combating bad breath. The chlorine dioxide breaks up the sulfur compounds and removes the sulfur from the mouth. An added benefit is that chlorine dioxide will not stain teeth.
Keep in mind that mouthwashes cannot reach the back one-third of your tongue because your tongue acts as a valve to prevent you from gagging. The bacteria thrive in the back one-third of the tongue, yet the mouthwash only reaches the front two-thirds.
Chloride dioxide mouthwashes are relatively new on the consumer market and are often kept with the prescription mouthwashes. But you should not need a prescription to get a chloride dioxide mouthwash. If you can't find one on the shelves, ask your pharmacist to locate one for you.
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