No one likes to be told that their breath smells. Bad breath, also known as halitosis, is usually associated with poor oral health, food choices, and unhealthy lifestyles.
What Causes Bad Breath?
- Bacteria naturally lives in your mouth. When you eat, bacteria feed on the food left in your mouth and leaves a foul-smelling waste product behind.
- Saliva is important because it washes out your mouth. If you do not have enough, your mouth is not being cleaned as much as it should be. Dry mouth can be caused by certain medications or by simply breathing through your mouth.
- If your bad breath will not go away, that is a warning sign of advanced gum disease, which is caused by a sticky, cavity-causing bacteria called plaque.
- Are you eating smelly foods? Garlic, onions, and coffee can cause bad breath.
- Smoking gives you bad breath and puts you at a health risk.
- Mouth infections also cause bad breath, such as sinuses, gastric reflux, or diabetes. Talk to your healthcare provider for more information.
How Can You Cure Bad Breath?
- Practice good oral hygiene – To prevent bad breath, it is important that you practice good oral habits every day. Brush your teeth at least twice a day for two minutes and compliment your brushing with flossing and mouthwash as well.
- Use a tongue scraper – Tongue scrapers help you remove bacteria and any food debris from your tongue that may not get cleaned as easily with a simple brushing.
- Chew Sugar-free gum – Chewing gum increases salivary flow and helps wash away bacteria of the mouth. Make sure the gum is sugar-free, so you are not feeding the bacteria in your mouth.
- Drink plenty of water – Staying hydrated is key to good breath. Be sure to drink enough water daily. Water keeps your mouth moist and helps wash away food particles and bacteria.
Did you know that Dr. Nick has his own line of dental products to help with bad breath? The Tri-Angle™ Tongue Cleaner allows the cleaning edge to reach the back and the concave center of the tongue without gagging caused by other designs. Made from FDA-quality grade biocompatible plastic, it maintains its effective scraping edge. Tongue scrapers are a great way to reduce or eliminate bad breath.
Dr. Nick’s Healthy Smile Kit includes 1 Tri-Angle™ Tongue Cleaner & 1 breath PURIFIER & 1 Large Head Toothbrush. You’ll eliminate bad breath in no time with this kit!
For more information or to schedule a dental appointment, contact Dr. Nick’s White & Healthy at (813) 445-7162.
