One thing that many people worry about on a daily basis is fresh breath.  But why wouldn’t we?  You wouldn’t want a first impression, first date, or even a conversation with your boss to make someone back away from you because of bad breath, would you?  And then there’s that embarrassing moment with a child tells you about your breath.

Bad breath can come from many things, and getting rid of it can sometimes be relatively easy with a little effort.  However, there are some reasons to see a dentist for persistent bad breath.  Here are some tips to help you get through the day with kissably fresh breath, or at least start you on the journey to it.

Always brush twice a day, floss daily, and clean your tongue.  If you are forgetting your tongue, you are forgetting a large amount of bacteria living in your mouth and making your breath smell bad.  These bacteria especially enjoy the back of the tongue where it is not so easy to reach.  Most good toothbrushes today come with a tongue-cleaning side, but a tongue scraper is another nifty tool for your arsenal.

Try peroxide as a mouthwash.  Peroxide leaves your mouth feeling clean and fresh, and it even kills more of those nasty bacteria that get left behind.  It’s hard to remove them all without a liquid, and peroxide is perfect because it kills them with something we all need, oxygen.  Just use it like a regular mouthwash and take another step towards freshness.

Don’t let your mouth get dry.  A dry mouth can quickly cause bad breath.  Be sure to always drink enough fluids, mainly water, to keep this from happening.  Water is the best liquid for our bodies, and our teeth, as well.  Keep in mind that breathing through the mouth and medications that you may be taking can also contribute to dry mouth.

See a doctor for sinus drainage.  Post-nasal drip is another problem when it comes to fighting bad breath and is most potent in the morning hours.  Any type of sinus infection can cause a bad odor, and if you suspect and infection you should make an appointment with the doctor for antibiotics to get it cleared up.

Eat plenty of yogurt.  A daily dose of yogurt not only helps your gut to do its job with the good bacteria in it, but it also eats the bacteria in the mouth that we don’t want while keeping a yeast infection of the mouth (thrush) at bay.  A healthier gut is yet another way to freshen your breath just a touch more.

Avoid strong foods before you need fresh breath, and always avoid tobacco.  There are two huge problems for people with bad breath.  Smoking leaves your mouth smelling like an ashtray and often dries it out.  Chewing tobacco has an even stronger odor.  Basically, anything that goes into your mouth can have an effect on your breath for some time, so strong smelling foods like garlic, onions, or fish can cause a smell in your mouth for days no matter how clean your mouth it.

Of course, any broken or missing, rotten teeth have a terrible smell and should be dealt with immediately.  Just trying to cover up this smell is not good for you.  You can end up with an infection, further breakage, and cause damage to other teeth by not addressing the teeth that need immediate attention.  The staff in our office are friendly and understanding, and we are hoping to see you soon for a check-up and to talk more about this topic.