Bad breath is a common complaint many people suffer, but the condition does not define its impact on the person. Bad breath has been named the third-worst odor in Britain in a 2013 survey surpassing baby poo and sewer smell on a hot day. You should not learn to live with bad breath, nor should you ignore it because it can be a signal of underlying health issues. Contact a dentist in Salina, Kansas, to know what is causing bad breath and how you can improve it.
How to combat bad breath?
The quality of a person’s breath depends on the lifestyle of what they eat and drink. You can have bad breath due to the following reasons.
- Dehydrating food
Particular food and drinks can dehydrate the mouth. Coffee, tea, and alcohol fall into this category. Saliva is the key to washing away the harmful bacteria in your mouth. When our mouth gets dried up and saliva production slows down, the bacteria multiply themselves, causing bad breath to thrive.
- Smelly foods
Foods with pungent smells are obvious culprits. Using garlic in every meal is a common reason for bad breath. Further potential problems include a diet high in sugar, acidic foods, and high protein foods. These bacteria naturally exist in our mouths, which turns good food into bad odors.
- Poor oral hygiene
Foul breath is caused due to build-up of bacteria in our mouth and resulting ineffective oral hygiene. It does not necessarily mean neglecting oral health by skipping one day of brushing, neglecting certain areas of the mouth, or not using the correct technique to brush. Mouth bacteria multiply every five hours, so fighting with them should be a constant battle. To maintain good oral hygiene, we should brush at least two minutes at a time with a good quality brush, preferably the electric one. Your daily oral routine should also contain flossing and interdental brush use.
If you follow the above-mentioned step and still experience bad breath, you should turn to the tongue. Our tongue contains millions of bacteria that accumulate on it. Therefore, it is best to invest in a tongue scraper along with brushing your tongue too. Proper oral hygiene also includes what you should not do–do not rinse immediately after brushing as it can serve to simply negate the advantage of having a fluoride toothpaste, and do not brush your teeth too hard.
