How the deep cleaning of your teeth can eliminate bad breath

Bad breath affects 50% of the general population. It’s an embarrassing problem and one that can affect your social interactions. If left untreated it can also lead to more serious oral health conditions. Here we discuss what causes smelly bad breath (halitosis), and how to eliminate it with a deep cleaning routine you can do at home.

The first thing to know is that you are not alone. Bad breath affects many people and with the modern lifestyles we lead, it’s no wonder. But don’t worry, by the end of this post you’ll know exactly how to eliminate it from your life for good!

Do I have a bad breath problem?

If your nearest and dearest haven’t told you already, the easiest ways to know if you have bad breath is by asking the following questions:

Do you have a metallic taste in your mouth?

When you breathe into your hands does it smell?

Do you have a thick white film on your tongue?

If you answered yes to any (or all!) of those questions, then you probably have bad breath.

What causes bad breath?

The majority of bad breath cases come from the mouth and are caused by a poor dental hygiene routine that results in plaque buildup, cavities and gum disease.

Of course, our diet of sugary, spicy foods and lots of meat doesn’t help, and neither does consuming alcohol or smoking.

There are a small percentage of medical conditions that can cause bad breath (halitosis), but that is quite rare. However, if in doubt, go and see your dentist.

The deep cleaning routine that eliminates bad breath

Getting rid of bad breath needs a consistent daily routine and a thorough clean. You can do this deep clean at home and it will get rid of food debris before it turns into plaque, which as we’ve discussed many times on this blog, can lead to more serious conditions.

My deep clean routine breaks down into 4 different stages:

1. Brushing your teeth
2. Cleaning the spaces between your teeth
3. Cleaning your tongue
4. Using mouthwash

Let’s look at each stage…

Brushing your teeth

We now know that brushing your teeth for 2 minutes is the optimal time to give them the clean they need, while protecting your teeth from wedge defects (caused by harsh brushing).

Brush once in the morning and once before bed, with a gentle intensity.

Cleaning the spaces between your teeth

We also now know that interdental brushes are much more effective at cleaning the spaces between your teeth compared with flossing. This makes sense because the soft, tiny bristles of an interdental brush are designed to fit the entire space, giving it a much better clean.

Cleaning your tongue

The white film on our tongue is bacteria, and if you have bad breath, it may be quite thick. It is important to clean the tongue daily to reduce these bacteria, because if they are left to thrive, it can contribute to the more serious conditions mentioned above. For this you should use a tongue scraper.

Using mouthwash

Mouthwash is a kind of safe disinfectant for the mouth and forms part of this deep cleaning routine for obvious reasons. It helps to clean impossible to reach places and, as well as your interdental brushing, gets rid of food debris.

Here’s the schedule I recommend for your daily deep clean:

Morning (after breakfast if possible): here we have to be careful, because brushing teeth after consuming acid Food can lead to tooth erosion. Often we eat Fruits or drink fruit juice for breakfast and then it’s better to wait 30 min before clening! But who has this time in the morning?It’s the brushing wich affects the enamel after acid food. The acid soften the enamel up and if we brush at this time we can peel of the enamel…. We can do a special blog about erosion.

Clean your tongue with the tongue scraper
Brush your teeth – 2 minutes

Evening (before bed):

Use an interdental brush to clean between your teeth
Clean your tongue with the tongue scraper
Brush your teeth – 2 minutes
Swill mouthwash for 60 seconds

If you make this routine part of your daily life, bad breath will be a thing of the past! You’ll have more confidence in your social interactions, improve your overall health AND have a beautiful smile.

All it takes is a little bit of persistence and practice.

Go get your DEEP CLEAN on!

• Share this:
• 
• 
•