Banish Bad Breath with These Six Methods
Have you ever smelled rotten eggs? Perhaps as a child, you got a whiff of a stink bomb, which was nothing, more than an odiferous gas that leaked out of a container. What both of these items have in common is sulfur, a foul smelling substance that leaves all those who smell it all but gagging. Would you believe that this same sulfur could be smelled on the breath of those who suffer from bad breath?
Anaerobic bacteria create this sulfur, which simply means organisms that live and thrive in an environment devoid of oxygen. These bacteria feast on food particles left over in the mouth after you enjoy a meal or snack. As they break down the food particles and digest them, they emit sulfur gases, which you exhale every time you breathe or speak. When others smell these gases, they will either step away from you or, those kinder souls who have your well being in mind will quietly let you know that you have bad breath and perhaps even offer you a breath mint. What can you do to rid yourself of this problem? Here are the top six methods to try to banish bad breath.
You may well be brushing your teeth very well, but do you floss as well? The anaerobic bacteria stay in places which may not be within reach of normal brushing. This particularly happens when food particles and debris gets stuck between your teeth. Flossing is of great help here.
Brush your teeth after meals. Ideally, you should brush your teeth after every meal, including snacks. However, this is not feasible for most people so the norm has been to brush once in the morning and once more before bedtime. If you are unable to brush during the day for some reason, make sure that you rinse your mouth well with clean water after eating, even it it’s just a small cupcake or a slice of pizza.
Scrape and brush your tongue. This is quite possibly one of the most overlooked dental hygiene activities. It is, however, proven that the bacteria that break down any food particles left over in your mouth also thrive around the bumps on the back of your tongue. Go ahead and take a teaspoon and turn it over so that the hollow side points to your tongue. Now go ahead and gently scrape the back of your tongue. Chances are that you will see a whitish substance. These are the bacteria that have been thriving in your mouth and that produce the sulfuric bad smell. Regular scraping and brushing of the back of your tongue will greatly cut down on the amount of bacteria that can emit such gas.
Increase your water intake. Saliva flow in the mouth is not always sufficient to keep the malodorous bacteria away. Because of this, it is essential that you supplement this deficiency by increasing your water intake. Ideally, 8 glasses spread throughout the day is enough. However, you may need up to 10 glasses daily if you are taking medications that cause dry mouth.
Choose your mouthwash wisely. Although mouthwashes are manufactured for the primary reason of keeping your breath fresh, some products actually do the opposite, such as the alcohol-based mouthwashes. At first, you will feel a very fresh sensation in your mouth. Eventually though, the alcohol content in the mouthwash will leave your mouth dry, allowing bacteria to thrive. Instead of eliminating the problem, this will then increase the risk of bad breath. When buying your mouthwash or other dental products, choose those that don’t contain alcohol. The same thing can be said for sugary gums. While chewing them, your saliva will flow and drive away the bacteria, which is good. But once you spit out the gum, the sugary residues will be left behind and all the eliminated bacteria will just come back twofold.
If you are a bad breath sufferer, you should keep your dentist’s number handy. Make and keep regular appointments with the dentist, so that you can prevent any further problems which may increase the chances of getting bad breath. And your dentist is the best person who can advise you as to further treatments to get rid of bad breath which will not go away just by brushing, flossing, and scraping.
