More than 80 million people suffer from chronic halitosis or bad breath. Most often it occurs in the gums and tongue.
A bad smell can be very embarrassing for people. But this is a common problem, so there are quite a few ways to deal with it. Follow these tips to get rid of bad breath and keep your teeth healthy.
How to remove bad breath
- Brush your teeth twice a day. Brush your teeth for two to three minutes at least twice a day to remove food debris. It is especially important to brush your teeth before bed. You can also do an extra brushing with baking soda to reduce the acidity in your mouth and make it harder for the bacteria that cause bad breath.
- Floss your teeth daily. Flossing will remove food debris from between your teeth. A regular brush will not reach these places. If you do not clean the interdental spaces, then the bacteria will begin to feed on food debris and cause halitosis.
- Clean or scrape your tongue. To remove any deposits that form between the taste buds and tongue creases, purchase an inexpensive tool called a tongue scraper. It is sold in pharmacies. If you don't have a scraper, then you can use a toothbrush.
- Use mouthwash. Remember that if the cause of chronic halitosis is dental problems, the mouthwash will only temporarily freshen your breath and will not cure you. In some cases, rinses even worsen the problem, as they irritate the oral mucosa. To quickly freshen your breath, try rinsing your mouth with black/green tea or water with a couple of drops of peppermint oil. According to research from the University of Illinois at Chicago, mouthwash with black or green tea inhibits the growth of bacteria that cause bad breath.
- Visit a dentist. The best way to keep your mouth healthy is to visit your dentist regularly. If you have bad breath, then it is worth visiting a doctor to rule out any problems that are related to the teeth. And if the dentist suspects that the problem is caused by a physical (internal) source like an infection, he or she can refer you to a family doctor or specialist who can help fix the problem.
- Quit smoking and avoid tobacco products. If you need a reason to quit cigarettes, this is one of them: Smoking causes halitosis. Tobacco dries out your mouth and can leave an unpleasant odor that lingers even after brushing your teeth.
- Drink enough fluids. Drink plenty of water daily (6 to 8 glasses a day) to avoid dry mouth. Water helps keep odor under control by washing away food particles and bacteria that cause bad odor. If you have chronic dry mouth or are taking medication that causes it, talk to your dentist. They will be able to recommend an over-the-counter saliva substitute for you.
- Use sugar-free hard candy or chewing gum. If you have dry mouth, try chewing gum or sugar-free hard candy to stimulate saliva flow. Saliva will help wash away food debris and bacteria.
- Eat a piece of carrot, celery, or apple. Snacking on crunchy, fresh fruits and vegetables stimulates saliva flow between meals, which helps flush bacteria from your teeth, tongue, and gums. These snacks also help alleviate the bad breath that an empty stomach causes. This is due to the accumulation of acids in an empty stomach.
- Eat parsley. Parsley is not only a side dish for a dish. It helps keep your mouth fresh as it contains chlorophyll, which eliminates bad breath. Therefore, it is sometimes worth chewing parsley sprouts. Or you can add a handful of parsley to the juice and sip if necessary.
