Top Six Methods to Try for Banishing Bad Breath
Top Six Methods to Try for Banishing Bad Breath
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.
Floss your teeth. The anaerobic critters multiply quickly inside your mouth and sometimes they stay out of reach of normal brushing. This is true especially when you accumulate food particles within tiny pockets around your teeth or in between them. Flossing will help you to get rid of the food particles as well as any accumulation of bacteria.
Brush your teeth and gum. Flossing your teeth does not replace a good tooth brushing, and it is imperative that you brush your teeth with good toothpaste for the recommended period of time. It is best to brush in the morning and evening as well as after meals and even snacks to get rid of bacteria before they have a chance to settle in.
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.
Drink a lot of water. This will allow your mouth to produce enough saliva to wash away the bacteria that accumulate. There are some medications that will produce a feeling of dry mouth, which simply means that they decrease the amount of saliva your mouth produces. To keep dehydration of your mouth at bay, it is imperative that you make up for the lack of liquid in your mouth by increasing your liquid intake.
Stay away from alcohol based mouthwashes and sugary gums. It is hard to believe, but even though almost all mouthwashes will rid you, at least temporarily, of the bacteria that cause the bad odors, the alcohol based ones actually tend to dry out the inside of your mouth, thus creating the very absence of saliva that is beneficial for continuous flushing of undesirable bacteria. Look for other alternatives. Sugary gums on the other hand create an environment that is exceedingly bacteria friendly by offering them the very food substance, sugar, they cannot resist. So instead of doing something good for your mouth, you are actually doing the very opposite! Stay with the sugarless version of gums, and your teeth and breath will thank you.
Keep your dentist on speed dial. Be sure you make and keep regular dental appointments with your neighborhood dentist. Regular check ups will prevent many dental diseases that increase the likelihood of bad breath. In addition to the foregoing, your dentist will be able to recommend further treatments, if bad breath is no longer manageable simply with brushing, flossing, and scraping.