In a time where everyone is wearing masks, and social distance is the new normal, one would think having a bad breath is not a huge issue. While others cannot necessarily smell our breath, it is still harmful for our teeth and overall dental hygiene. Here are some ways to avoid this phenomena in general, and to have a nice, fresh breath.
What causes bad breath?
Its a common misconception that bad breath (halitosis) is caused by certain food. Its close to the truth, but the main reason is the bacteria located in the mouth. When the bacteria starts to disintegrate protein and sugar, it releases chemicals that contain sulfur – hence the bad smell. Let`s see how can we achieve fresh breath instead.
5 ways to maintain a nice, fresh breath
1. Get rid of the bacteria
As mentioned before, the key for a nice smelling, fresh breath is to have proper dental hygiene. Brushing your teeth twice a day – including the tongue. Having a proper toothbrush is essential for this process. Bacteria can easily develop on the surface of our tongue, so cleaning this is just as important as brushing our teeth. Another important tool is dental floss, to keep hard-to-reach areas clean.
2. Don`t let it dry out
Saliva has an important role in the fight against bacteria. Because of this, if we have a dry mouth we may experience bad breath more often. If this is not caused by a disease, one should try and drink more still water, and reduce coffee consumption, in order to keep the mouth hydrated. Saliva production can be improved by chewing a gum every once in a while after a meal.
3. The arch-nemesis of good breath: sugar
The aforementioned chewing gum should always be sugar-free. Consuming too much sugar is not only bad for our teeth, but also serves as a breeding ground for bacteria in the mouth. In order to achieve and maintain a good breath, one should reduce the consumption of sugary foods.
4. Spray or wash?
If we want to freshen our breath quickly, using a mouth spray can be a reliable alternative. However, this only provides a short term solution, and does not make the problem go away. We would recommend using mouthwash instead, especially the ones that kills bacteria. This could be a quick solution for situations when we cannot wash our teeth.
5. The only thing even peppermint can’t fight:
Onions. Be aware that no solution will get rid of the distinctive smell of onions. No matter what you do, the smell and taste of onions takes hours to get out of your system. This happens because the mouth stores the taste molecules in the mouth for a long time, and even in the bloodstream. Be cautious, not to eat these before giving a speech in a closed area.
If these tips did not work for you, we recommend seeing a dentist as soon as possible, in order to find the real cause of the problem.
