by Nora Koller
November 7, 2016 Top 3 Reasons for Bad Breath (Halitosis) and How to Cure It
Bad breath is an embarrassing problem that affects many people around the world. Here we discuss the 3 main reasons for bad breath and the best solution to deal with it.
People spend millions of dollars every year on temporary bad breath cures because it can have a negative affect on all of our social interactions. But, wouldn’t it be better to prevent bad breath in the first place? This is something I educate my patients on when they come to me with this complaint.
First, we need to understand the reasons why we have bad breath (halitosis).
- A poor dental hygiene routine
If you don’t clean your teeth properly, including the spaces between your teeth, this will not only result in bad breath and plaque buildup, but it could also lead to a series of oral health issues like gum disease, cavities and tooth decay.
- Not cleaning our tongue properly
A lot of the bacteria in our mouth exist on our tongue, so if you don’t clean your tongue properly every day, the bacteria is allowed to thrive, resulting in a white tongue and smelly breath.
- The food and drink we consume
All of the following food and beverages contribute to bad breath because of the smelly compounds they leave behind, or their diuretic affect: garlic, onions, spicy food, fish (particularly tuna), coffee and alcohol.
How to cure bad breath
The easiest way to prevent bad breath in the first place (rather than temporarily treating it or masking it) is to clean your teeth and tongue thoroughly every day.
By removing the residual food particles between your teeth and the bacteria from your tongue, you can eliminate the main causes of bad breath.
So, what is a good daily dental routine? Here’s what I tell my patients:
1.Use interdental brushes once per day in the evening instead of flossing. They are known to clean the spaces between your teeth much better and it has been widely reported recently that flossing isn’t as effective as it was first tought to be.
2.The most effective way to clean the bacteria off your tongue is with a tongue scraper. This should be done before brushing, once in the morning and once in the evening. Start from the back of the tongue and scrape the white stuff towards the tip.
3.Brush your teeth twice a day in the morning and evening. Don’t brush your teeth for too long and don’t do it too hard, because this can cause wedge defects. I see this with a lot of my patients. Instead, brush your teeth for 2 minutes, trying to focus on each individual tooth, and with a medium intensity.
4.In the evening, finish your dental hygiene routine with swilling mouthwash for 60 seconds.
Having a good teeth cleaning routine every day requires a bit of persistence, but imagine having the confidence that comes with fresh breath and a beautiful smile… It’s totally worth spending a few extra minutes every day!
The good news is, you can start right now and you will notice the effects almost immediately. Go for it!
XOXO
Nora
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