Has anyone ever told you that you your breath smells? Studies have shown that 20% of total population suffer from bad breath. It is proven that bad breath can lead to difficulties maintaining social relationships, intimacy issues and even failure in a job.
The foul odour is caused by bacteria present below the gumline. The good news is dental hygienists can help clean your teeth. They cannot guarantee your life will remain free from bad timing or bad luck but they can help you to prevent one of the worst diseases- Bad Breath. You will need a toothbrush, toothpaste, dental floss, some water and a dentist. Optional is mouthwash, sugarless candy, sugarless gum or breathmint.
Step 1. Clean your teeth with toothbrush twice a day and use dental floss at least once a day to help remove odour causing bacteria and food.
Step 2. Do not forget to clean the top of your tongue every time you finish tooth brushing.
Step 3. If you have dentures or retainers, clean them regularly with denture cleansing agents.
Step 4. Avoid the following- garlic, onions, cabbage, cheese, spicy food, alcohol and caffeine. If you do indulge in any fragrant foods, brush your teeth afterwards, drink plenty of water and be prepared to mask your breath by having some mouthwashes, sugarless gum and breath mints handy just in case.
Step 5. Avoid smoking and alcohol.
Step 6. Increase your water intake and chew sugarless candy especially if you feel dryness in mouth. Saliva has an important role to maintain your oral health. It helps protect your teeth by washing away food and neutralising acids caused by plaque. A reduction in saliva production is known as Xerostomia or Dry Mouth. Dry mouth also causes difficulty in speaking, chewing and swallowing. Some medications can play role in dry mouth. It’s normal to have dry mouth once in a while but may lead to problems if it persists. A dentist can suggest ways to help alleviate dry mouth. Oral rinses or artificial saliva can supplement the moisture in your mouth.
Step 7. Visit your dentist every six months for cleaning and check up. Visit even sooner if you develop bad breath that doesn’t go away after you tried everything. This is because you may have some tooth or gum diseases which cause bad odour in mouth like dental decay, gingivitis, periodontitis etc.
Did u know “Halitophobia” is the fear that you have bad breath? Did you know Michael Jackson’s hit song Bad suggests in the 1980’s calling something bad was actually a compliment?