My Health And Body

Archive for January, 2012

Have you ever been involved in conversation with someone and noticed them back away slightly when you spoke? Perhaps your partner has informed you that your “morning breath” could melt off someone’s facial features. All kidding aside, bad breath is a potentially embarrassing problem that, fortunately, can be easily avoided by following a few simple steps. Read on to see how you can keep foul breath at bay and maintain sparkling fresh teeth and gums.

1. Always remember to brush your teeth regularly. In addition to keeping tartar and plaque from attaching to your teeth and causing unpleasant breath, brushing at least twice each day prevents or slows down tooth decay. Additionally, brushing removes any food particles that could be stuck and decaying between teeth, causing bad breath.

2. Start scraping your tongue. While this may not sound very appealing, the textured surface of your tongue holds on to bacteria, food residue and other things than can cause breath to smell bad. Use the edge of a spoon, or look for a toothbrush that has a textured surface on the opposite side of the head from the bristles. You may also consider purchasing a specially-made tongue scraper. Scrape your tongue daily as part of your tooth-brushing routine. Your breath will be fresher, and your mouth will feel cleaner.

3. Avoid letting your mouth get dry. Saliva keeps your mouth moist and maintains an alkaline environment, which is healthy for your teeth and gums. Saliva also kills bacteria in your mouth. When your mouth is dry, bacteria have a chance to multiply and cause unpleasant breath. Avoid dry mouth by drinking at least 64 ounces of water each day, and also by drinking an electrolyte replacement drink if necessary. People lose salt while sweating, which contributes to dry mouth, and proper electrolyte balance can keep your mouth properly moist. Certain medications, and breathing through your mouth while sleeping, can also cause dry mouth. If you continue to have problems, ask your dentist to recommend a toothpaste or mouthwash that can maintain the right amount of moisture in your mouth. Also, consider chewing sugarless gum that has been sweetened with Xylitol. This natural sweetener actually makes it more difficult for bacteria to adhere to your teeth, which prevents both unpleasant breath and cavities.

4. Kill bacteria in your mouth using hydrogen peroxide. This inexpensive treatment can clean your mouth and whiten your teeth at the same time. Use a very small amount, such as one cap-full, and swish it around in your mouth for two to three minutes. Make sure that you do not swallow the hydrogen peroxide, because it is toxic if ingested.

5. Have your dentist assess the health of your teeth and gums. If you continue to have breath problems, you may have symptoms of  gum disease, or food could be stuck underneath dental work such as a bridge. Be aware that extreme low-carb diets, fasting, drinking coffee, certain medications and an empty stomach can also cause foul-smelling breath. Chewing sugarless gum and staying properly hydrated may not remove the symptoms altogether in these situations, but can help minimize it to a degree..

Now that you know how to improve the smell of your breath with some simple, low-and no-cost methods, try them and see which ones work the best for you. Build these tips into your regular daily dental hygiene routine, so that they become an automatic habit that guarantees to keep your breath fresh and sweet-smelling all of the time. Before you know it, you will be able to talk up close and personal without ever needing to worry about bad breath again.