Whoa! Bad breath can be a big, embarrassing problem. It can make you self-conscious and get in the way of your social life. Luckily, battling back against bad breath is not as hard as you may think. Most of the time, your chronic bad breath or halitosis can be treated by simply improving your oral hygiene habits.
Treating Halitosis (Chronic Bad Breath)
- Brushing and Flossing: At a minimum, you should be brushing twice a day and flossing once a day. Ideally, you would brush and floss after each and every meal. This would prevent plaque buildup, one of the leading causes of bad breath.
- Scrape your Tongue: Many people neglect to brush their tongue, but the tongue can actually be the main source of your bad breath. More specifically, that coating on your tongue could be the source of your bad breath. “Tongue scrapers are an essential tool in a proper oral health care routine,” said Pamela L. Quinones, RDH, president of the American Dental Hygienists’ Association. “They’re designed specifically to apply even pressure across the surface of the tongue area, removing bacteria, food debris, and dead cells that brushing alone can’t remove.”
- Mouth Wash: Mouth wash is not only designed to freshen your breath, but it also has anti-bacterial properties to help fight plaque.
- Chew Gum: Yea, that is right; chewing gum can actually help you with your bad breath and not for the reason you may think. Gum helps stimulates saliva, which is the mouth’s natural defense mechanism against plaque.
- Treat your Gums well: Gum disease is a common cause of bad breath. So pay particular attention to your gums and their health.
- Watch out for Dry Mouth: Diminished saliva production could be the cause of your bad breath. To combat dry mouth and the resulting bad breath, try staying hydrated and chewing gum.
- Visit your Dentists regularly: During these visits, your dentist or dental hygienist will clean and polish your teeth as well as remove plaque and tartar from your gums. They will also check your teeth and gums for any signs of more serious problems.
And that is just the beginning. Additional ways to fight back against your bad breath include:
- Watching what you eat. Certain foods have bad breath-causing components.
- Quit smoking.
Forty million Americans suffer from bad breath. Are you one of them?
If you have any questions about Bad Breath and Oral Health, or if you wish to schedule an appointment, please contact Annapolis Dental Care by calling (410) 267-0766 or visit AnnapolisDentalCare.com today!
Dr. Steckler’s philosophy is to give patients individualized attention and to make their experiences as comfortable as possible.
You can also follow Annapolis Dental Care on Facebook, Twitter, and Google+.
Source: