How often have you been in conversation with someone and had to hold your breath due to a certain odor? We all know someone who we try to avoid speaking with face to face to avoid their bad breath? And how much would you like it even less if you were that specific someone? Here are a few pointers on how to not have bad breath.
Before going straight to the source, you should first know how bad breath can occur.
Bad breath can be an issue for a few key reasons. Dry mouth, tooth decay, and gum disease are all factors leading to bad breath, but a dirty mouth is the most common cause of most bad breath.
“Mouth odor is like any other body odor—the result of microbes living in the body giving off byproducts,” says Dr. Richard H. Price spokesman for American Dental Association. According to a study done by MSN, ninety percent of mouth odors originate from the mouth itself. This is a result of the food we eat and from bacteria that is already present in the mouth.
Because of this, proper oral hygiene is important. Making sure to use toothpaste every day is same as wearing deodorant; it masks any foul odors and replaces them with pleasant ones. Basic oral care is the foundation for keeping your breath fresh and your mouth clean.
The next step is a change in your eating habits. A change in diet can help eliminate most of the originators of bad breath in your mouth. Consider first what your normal diet has been. A general rule of thumb would be to stay away from foods that are naturally pungent, such as onions and garlic. These types of food are high in sulfur and when eaten will plague your mouth with undesirable odors and bad breath.
“While onions, garlic and other spicy foods may leave you with a particular strong oral odor, almost anything you eat has the potential to cause bad breath.” Dr. Harold Katz, the founder of the California Breath Clinics, said in an article by the Huffington Post.
If you maintain proper oral hygiene, keep a healthy low-sulfur diet, but still have recurring issues with bad breath seek your dentist immediately. As stated earlier, aside from what you eat and your hygienic habits, gum disease and tooth decay are leading causes of bad breath and require a dentist’s attention.
If you find yourself in a position where you cannot get rid of your chronic bad breath, seek out a Houston dental hygienist today and end your bad breath once and for all.
