Call Us! (780) 424-7475

Quick Fixes For Bad Breath

Bad breath or halitosis is a common problem faced by many. A foul smelling breath can be embarrassing and affect your confidence. Common culprits for bad breath include poor oral hygiene, tooth decay, dry mouth, gum diseases, and other medical conditions. Ignoring bad breath not only affects your social life but also damages your dental health. Fortunately, it is not that difficult to get rid of bad breath. Here are a few tips to combat the issue of bad breath.

Brush and Floss Regularly

Brushing and flossing are basic requirements for good oral hygiene. Trapped food particles combined with bacteria causes plaque buildup, leading to bad breath. Brushing twice a day and flossing once regularly, rids your mouth of debris and bacteria, giving you with a fresh breath. Make sure you don’t overdo it either, as it might erode your tooth enamel causing decay.

Clean your Tongue

The coating that forms on your tongue can host a huge amount of bacteria. Apart from brushing and flossing you must make sure to clean your tongue. Use a tongue cleaning to scrape off the harmful bacteria every time you brush.

Use a Mouth Rinse

Your brush and floss may not be able to entirely clean tricky corners. This increases bacteria and plaque buildup, causing bad breath. Using a mouthwash ensures that your entire mouth is free of the odor causing bacteria. Rinse daily with a therapeutic or fluoride based mouthwash to get rid of bad breath.

Avoid Odor Causing Food

odor causing food

Odor causing food like onions and garlic can leave you with a smelly breath. The odor causing components present in such foods travel to your lungs, from where you breathe them out. Apart from this, consuming acidic and sugary food and beverages like coffee, tea, junk food, desserts, soda, etc., can lead to cavities and tooth decay. Limit such foods and balance it with a healthy diet to eliminate bad breath.

Chew Sugarless Gum

Lack of saliva production causes a dry mouth, which eventually results in bad breath. Saliva helps in washing off debris and plaque that causes decay and cavities. Chewing gum stimulates saliva that fights off the plaque buildup and rids you of bad breath. Make sure you chew on a sugarless gum as a sugar induced gum can add to the problem.

Keep your Mouth Moistened

A dry mouth is one of the biggest culprits behind halitosis and several other problems including tooth decay, cavities, and gum diseases. All these problems further contribute to the bad breath issue. While chewing sugarless gum helps stimulate saliva, you must drink plenty of water throughout the day to keep your mouth hydrated.

Quit Tobacco

Besides causing cancer, tobacco also affects your dental hygiene. It stains your teeth, damages your gums, and leaves you with a smelly breath. Moreover, bad breath may also be an early sign of oral cancer. Hence, here is yet another reason to quit tobacco.

Bad breath not only damages your dental health but also affects your lifestyle. While these tips can help you get rid of bad breath, maintaining oral hygiene helps in preventing bad breath and other dental issues. A vital part of oral care is regular dental visits to keep oral health risks at bay.