Fresh breath is important.
Bad breath will compromise our social life. It is also an indication of something wrong with our mouth or with some other part of our digestive system. Quite possibly bad breath is a symptom of tooth decay, or a symptom of something that can cause tooth decay. It is important to remove the cause of the breath problems before it leads to serious damage to teeth or our health in general.
The first thing to look at with breath problems is basic dental hygiene.
Brushing twice daily is essential. Individuals should also Floss and use mouthwash at least one per day. Using mouthwash more frequently is a good idea if the bad breath continues.
Smoking will almost always cause bad breath. It is always healthier to quit smoking.
If the bad breath persist there may be a diet problem.
Try removing strong food from the diet, like garlic, onions and spicy foods. These do have general health benefits, but they may also cause bad breath. Else, coffee causes breath problems for some people.
Some people find that processed / frozen food cause bad breath, and perhaps associated stomach unrest. Try eating more natural foods.
Atkins Diet – High carb diets can cause bad breath. This type of bad breath is not harmful, but it can be socially awkward.
Bad breath can be caused by bad bacteria in the mouth and digestive system. This is often the same bacteria that causes tooth decay, gum infections and other problems. Some good practices beyond regular brushing can help here.
- Green tea is good for breath and helps fight bad bacteria. Drink a few cup per day. Decaffeinated green tea is available.
- Chewing sugar free gum is good for freshening breath, though it can sometimes cover up the problem causing the odour. Xylitol sweetened gum is the best option.
- Chew some parsley to freshen breath.
- Eat some foods with healthy bacteria to help digestion and mouth bacteria. Kimchi (Korea), sauerkraut (Germany), probiotic drinks and yogurt are all good for health bacteria.
- Cashew nuts help fight some forms of bad bacteria. They are high in calories, but otherwise healthy.
- Breath mints can remove the bad breath, but use a sugar free variety. And make sure the underlying cause of the bad breath isn’t a health threat.
- Just eating more healthy fruit and vegetables can help with our breath.
Bad breath could be a sign of a serious dental problem.
Gum disease like periodontitis will cause bad breath, this needs to be treated by the dentist as it will quickly lead to serious problems like tooth loss.
An Abscess will cause bad breath. This also need to be treated by a dentist. Untreated abscesses will lead to even more serious problems.
Mouth breathing, especially at night, will lead to dry teeth and gums. This will often lead to bad breath, or at least make the problem worse. Dentist can provide mouthguards to facilitate better breathing.
Have any persistent breath problems checked by the dentist.
