Stop Suffering from Bad Breath: 5 Practical Tips for a Fresh, Healthy Mouth

Bad breath can be a frequent problem and an incredibly embarrassing one at that. Whether you’re dining out or making small talk in the dentist office waiting room, having bad breath can sap your confidence and make it harder for you to converse with ease. But luckily, there are simple steps you can take to restore freshness back into your oral hygiene routine. In this blog post, we’ll share five practical tips that take just minutes each day but could guarantee long-term benefits for the health of your mouth!

What Causes Bad Breath?

Generally, bad breath occurs due to a buildup of food debris or bacteria in your mouth. This happens when you don’t brush and floss regularly or thoroughly enough, or if you fail to keep up with regular visits to the dentist. However, other causes can include:

Food

The breakdown of food particles in and around your teeth can increase bacteria and cause a foul odor. Eating certain foods, such as onions, garlic and spices, also can cause an odor. After you digest these foods, they enter your bloodstream, are carried to your lungs and affect your mouth’s smell.

Tobacco products

Smoking causes its own unpleasant mouth odor. Smokers and oral tobacco users are also more likely to have gum disease, another source of mouth odor.

Poor dental hygiene

If you don’t brush and floss daily, food particles remain in your mouth, causing an odor. A colorless, sticky film of bacteria (plaque) forms on your teeth. If not brushed away, plaque can irritate your gums and eventually form plaque-filled pockets between your teeth and gums (periodontitis). Your tongue also can trap bacteria that produce odors. Dentures that aren’t cleaned regularly or don’t fit properly can harbor odor-causing bacteria and food particles.

Dry mouth

Saliva helps cleanse your mouth, removing particles that cause bad odors. A condition called dry mouth or xerostomia (zeer–o-STOE-me-uh) can contribute to bad breath because production of saliva is decreased. Dry mouth naturally occurs during sleep, leading to “morning breath,” and it worsens if you sleep with your mouth open. Chronic dry mouth can be caused by a problem with your salivary glands and some diseases.

Medications

Some medications can indirectly produce bad breath by contributing to dry mouth. Others can be broken down in the body to release chemicals that can be carried on your breath.

Infections in your mouth

Bad breath can be caused by surgical wounds after oral surgery, such as tooth removal, or as a result of tooth decay, gum disease or mouth sores.

Other mouth, nose and throat conditions

Bad breath can occasionally stem from small stones that form in the tonsils and are covered with bacteria that produce odor. Infections or chronic inflammation in the nose, sinuses or throat, which can contribute to postnasal drip, also can cause bad breath.

Other causes

Diseases, such as some cancers, and conditions such as metabolic disorders, can cause a distinctive breath odor as a result of chemicals they produce. Chronic reflux of stomach acids (gastroesophageal reflux disease, or GERD) can be associated with bad breath. Bad breath in young children can be caused by a foreign body, such as a piece of food, lodged in a nostril.

The Five Tips for a Fresh, Healthy Mouth:

1. Brush and Floss Consistently – Brushing and flossing are the most important steps you can take to prevent bad breath. Make sure you routinely brush twice a day with an ADA-approved toothbrush and fluoride toothpaste, and floss at least once a day.
2. Clean your Tongue – All the bacteria that causes an odor can live on your tongue. Use a toothbrush or specially designed tongue scraper to keep your tongue clean and free of odor-causing bacteria.
3. Drink Plenty of Water – Saliva helps wash away food particles and bacteria that can cause bad breath, so stay hydrated. Drinking water helps prevent dry mouth and will help keep your breath fresh.
4. Quit Smoking – Tobacco products not only make your breath smell bad, but they also increase the risk for gum disease, which also can contribute to bad breath.
5. Visit Your Dentist Regularly – Regular dental checkups are important for maintaining a healthy mouth. Your dentist can help detect and treat gum disease, cavities or any other early signs of bad breath. In addition, regular cleanings remove plaque buildup that contributes to bad breath.

By following these tips, you can make sure your mouth is healthy and your breath stays fresh. Don’t suffer from mouth odor any longer – take action today to keep your mouth healthy and fresh!

Make an Appointment with Stonebrook Family Dental

At Stonebrook Family Dental, we are dedicated to helping you and your family maintain good oral health. We offer comprehensive dental services in a warm, friendly environment. Our experienced team is here to help you keep your mouth healthy and your breath fresh! To schedule an appointment, contact us today!