The things to avoid inflicting on others are a bad mood and bad breath! Almost everyone has had bad breaths once in their life.
Some people feel and fear they have bad breath even when their breath is neutral. Then, some have bad breath but don’t even know it until they learn from a close friend.
People say that if you want to distract and turn people away, try having bad breath. But it shouldn’t get to that. There are several approaches for oral hygiene – home remedies, medical, and general methods.
However, remedies can only come from knowing the cause. While the mouth is the primary source, other causes of bad breath are not even near the mouth. Keep reading to know the ways to handle bad breath.
Bad Breath Symptoms
Clean and healthy teeth don’t only promise a beautiful smile, but they also reflect good health. However, mouth odor can develop self-esteem issues, making you lose confidence in talking to people. The sad part is that people don’t know how to tell others that their breath is smelly. Would you?
If you suspect your breath is foul, lick the inside of your wrist and smell it after about five seconds. If it’s turning you off, it’s likely also to turn everyone else away.
Other lousy breath symptoms include:
- Sour, metallic taste
- Burning mouth sensation
- Dry mouth
- Postnasal drip
- Fever
- Stubborn cough
- Sore throat
- Inflamed lymph nodes in the neck
- Thick saliva
- White layer on the tongue
Let’s treat that bad breath!
- Brush Your Teeth Regularly
It doesn’t matter if you’ve recently had a procedure or have sensitive teeth, the bottom line is that; you must brush your teeth regularly. Use FDA-approved oral hygiene products to brush your teeth and maintain proper oral hygiene.
Remarkably, we learn further from the expert SelenBio Dental that mouth-friendly oral hygiene products are good and effective for everyone. Even children can use them to maintain excellent dental health. The dental health care products protect sensitive and normal teeth and gums from plaque buildup, decay, cavities, inflammation, and white spot lesions.
Please note that when it comes to brushing your teeth, there’s a way to do it properly. Not everyone knows how to properly brush their teeth, even if they maintain a twice-per-day oral hygiene routine. So, how should you do it?
- Use fluoride toothpaste.
- Brush the upper left, upper right, bottom right, and bottom left sections of your teeth for 30 seconds each. Also, brush the front and back of your teeth, using up and down movements.
- Brush your tongue thoroughly and try to reach a bit further carefully to avoid vomiting.
- Gently brush along the gum line not to harm the sensitive tissue.
- Don’t brush with excessive pressure, as this can damage the protective enamel layer of your teeth.
- Rinse your mouth thoroughly once you’re done.
- Replace your toothbrush after a maximum of three months.
- Floss Everyday
Ideally, brushing is a gentle way of flossing. Brushing is generally protecting the enamel and gum from decay and cavity. However, odor-causing bacteria also grow between your teeth, and only flossing can help. Besides, flossing does better cleaning plaque buildup on teeth than brushing.
Dental plaque is typical with everyone, but only a few prioritize plaque cleaning, hence the issue of mouth odor among many people. Plaque forms in the teeth after the mouth bacteria mix with starch or sugary foodstuffs.
Usually, it’s sticky, and if you don’t remove it effectively, it hardens to form tartar. An oral hygiene routine involving brushing and flossing can remove plaque buildup effortlessly.
Remarkably, there are several flossing products, such as floss strings, tiny plastic casings, and individual toothpick flossers. Use what feels comfortable and does a great job.
This is how to floss correctly:
- Cut about 18 inches of floss string and wrap it around your middle fingers.
- Hold the string tightly with your thumbs and forefingers, leaving about an inch between your fingers.
- Form a C-shape with the floss and wrap it around one tooth. Rub it up and down about 10 times. Don’t use much pressure, but don’t be very mild because you need enough friction to remove the plaque.
- Repeat the same procedure on all the teeth using a clean section of the floss.
If it’s your first-time flossing, you’ll likely experience discomfort and pain in the first few days. It’ll go away.
- Drink Water
There are natural bacteria in your mouth that prevent teeth corrosion. Still, the mouth can accommodate harmful bacteria. This can cause tartar and plaque buildup on teeth, leading to smelly breath.
Drinking water is the easiest and most effective way to flush out smelly bacteria. Drinking water is a personal decision, but drink as much water as possible daily. Besides, drinking water also helps digestion, enabling an overall healthy body system.
- Watch Your Diet
Foods like garlic or onions are likely to cause mouth odor. Usually, the smell doesn’t go away until the foods are digested. If you can’t avoid garlic and onions, ensure you brush your teeth or use mouthwash immediately after your meal. Coffee is also known for causing bad breath in most people.
Reducing sugary or starchy food impacts dental health due to plaque buildup. It would be best to replace these foods with fruits and vegetables. You know what they say about eating an apple a day!
- Quit Smoking Cigarettes
Bad breath should be reason enough to quit smoking or chewing tobacco. Well, a smelly mouth is not the only severe problem tobacco can cause in your body.
Common effects of smoking include:
- Plaque and tartar
- Swollen, red salivary glands
- Gum disease
If you need something to chew, try sugarless gums and mints. These will not only promote your oral hygiene routine, but they will also stimulate saliva production. Smoking and chewing tobacco are primary causes of a dry mouth, which ends up smelly. Increased saliva production ensures the mouth stays fresh.
Wrapping Up
Make a habit of visiting your dentist regularly, preferably twice a year. Having a professional check your teeth goes a long way to ensuring mouth odor stays away from you. Also, dental plaque cleaning by a professional is excellent for bacteria, tartar, and plaque removal.
Oral hygiene is essential not only for you but for everyone around you. Please note that it’s still possible to achieve and maintain fresh breath all year long!