Prevent Bad Breath

Bad breath, or halitosis, happens to everyone at times. Halitosis is caused by a wide range of factors, including dry mouth; foods high in protein, sugar, or acid; and smoking. Illness and tooth decay can also be a factor in bad breath. You can prevent bad breath by developing good oral health habits and making changes in your diet and lifestyle.

Steps

Promoting Good Oral Health

1. Brush your teeth properly. Brushing your teeth properly is one of the best things you can do in your fight against bad breath. Brush at least twice a day, for at least two minutes and make sure to cover all the areas in your mouth. Especially focus on where the teeth meet the gums.
   • Use a soft bristled brush and replace it every three to four months.
   • Brush either right before you eat or one hour afterwards (otherwise you might damage or erode the enamel of your teeth).
   • Make sure to brush your tongue, because your tongue gets a lot of build-up of bacteria which can cause bad breath. Brush from the back to the front of your tongue and be certain to get the sides, as well. You shouldn't do more than four brushes on your tongue and make sure that you don't go too far back.
2. Floss your teeth. Flossing is another important component to good mouth health. Flossing removes the plaque and bacteria build-up from between your teeth, which even the best toothbrushes can't get rid of. Do this at least once a day.
   • Flossing also rids the mouth of food particles and debris. If these are left between your teeth, they'll rot, which smells bad.
   • When you're flossing you want to focus on where the tooth meets the gum, so make sure that you rub one way against the tooth and then against the next tooth.
3. Try using baking soda. Brushing your teeth with baking soda once a week will help neutralize the bacteria that cause bad breath. Using your regular toothbrush, simply sprinkle a pinch of baking soda on the bristles, then brush as usual.
   • Baking soda can also be used as a mouthwash. Dissolve a half-teaspoon of baking soda into a small glass of water. Fill your mouth with the liquid, without swallowing, and swish it around your gums and teeth.
   • Baking soda neutralizes the acids that build up on the backs of your teeth, and beneath your tongue.
4. Get regular dental check-ups. Going to the dentist is important to maintaining your oral health, a primary factor in bad breath. A dentist, or dental hygienist, will perform a thorough cleaning of your teeth, gums, and mouth.
   • Your dentist will notice if your bad breath is caused by something more serious than simply food or drink, or not having brushed properly.
   • If you have a lot of bad breath issues and you're following a strict healthy mouth regime (with brushing and eating properly), then you should definitely make an appointment to see your dentist.
5. Use sugar-free gum or mints. Like water, sugar-free gum or mints can help speed up the production of saliva in your mouth and help flush out the bad bacteria. They can also cover up bad breath for a short period of time.
   • Use sugar-free gum and mints. Sugars can help feed the bad bacteria, which will make your bad breath worse once the gum or mint is gone.
   • Sugar-free gum is preferred over mints, and you can experience the benefits of chewing gum after only five minutes.
   • Gums containing Xylitol, a sugar-free sweetener made from birch bark, can be especially useful for preventing bad breath. It helps reduce tooth decay and may help reverse the loss of tooth enamel by replacing minerals to the tooth.
6. Try mouthwash. Mouthwash is another way to deal with the immediate effects of bad breath. This will only provide you with a temporary mask for the bad breath, but that can be enough to avoid offending other people.
   • However, an antiseptic mouthwash will kill the bad bacteria, so it will help do more than just mask the bad odor. Look for mouthwashes with hlorhexidine, cetylpyridinium chloride, chlorine dioxide, zinc chloride and triclosan, as these kill bacteria.
   • Avoid using a chlorhexidine-containing mouthwash long-term as this can stain your teeth (although this is reversible).
   • Try not to use mouthwashes containing alcohol. Alcoholic-based mouthwashes may be a factor in developing certain mouth cancers.
   • Make sure you rinse and deep-gargle with mouthwash.

Making Diet and Lifestyle Changes

1. Drink lots of water. One problem that can cause bad breath or make bad breath worse is having a dry mouth. Water is odor-free and helps to flush out the food that bacteria loves. It also helps promote saliva which cleanses the mouth and eliminates the stink-causing substances in food.
   • Don't use coffee, sodas, or alcohol to cleanse your mouth. They will not help prevent bad breath and, in many causes, are actually the causes of your bad breath.
   • Dehydration is often a factor in halitosis. Drinking more water to stay hydrated throughout waking hours, will help prevent bad breath.
2. Eat foods high in fiber. Not only do foods that are fresh and crunchy help to clean the teeth, they prevent halitosis. They improve digestion and help your body release toxins.
   • Avoid sugary foods and drinks. If you need a snack, grab an apple or some protein rather than a candy bar.
   • Avoid acidic drinks. These are bad both for your breath and for the health of your teeth, as acidic drinks can hurt the enamel on your teeth. Avoid sodas as much as possible and if you have to drink them, make sure to drink them through or straw or quickly, without holding them in your mouth. You should also follow with water to try and rinse away the remnants.
   • Avoid coffee and alcohol. Both of these drinks provide an environment in your mouth for bacteria growth, which causes bad breath. They also dry out your mouth, which causes the bacteria to linger.
3. Avoid smoking or chewing tobacco. While there are many reasons to avoid or quit smoking or chewing tobacco (like cancer), bad breath is certainly one of them. Smoking causes the smoker's breath to retain the smells of stale tobacco smoke, sometimes described as "smelling like an ashtray." The easiest way to prevent this bad breath is to stop smoking.
   • A tobacco habit can also lead to gum disease, which among other more serious things, causes bad breath.
   • Smoking stains your teeth and can irritate your gums. Stopping smoking will help you maintain a healthier mouth.
4. Eat foods high in Vitamin D. Vitamin D helps to inhibit the growth of bacteria in the mouth. Vitamin D can be consumed in the form of fortified foods and beverages, but it is most commonly and efficiently derived from exposure to sunlight.
   • Try eating sugar-free yogurt once a day. Yogurt with good bacteria (probiotic bacteria) prevents bad breath by reducing the levels of bad breath causing sulfide compounds.
   • Stock up on vitamin-D rich foods through fatty fish, such as salmon, tuna or mackerel. Some mushrooms also contain Vitamin D.
   • Vitamin D can also be taken effectively through supplements. The recommended amount of Vitamin D is 600 IU for people between age 1-70, 800 IU for people over 70.
5. Use herbs and spices. Chewing raw parsley helps clean the teeth and mouth, and can help prevent bad breath. Cardamom, either in pods or ground, helps keep the breath fresh as well. Chew fennel seeds after a spicy meal, or grind them and sprinkle the ground seeds onto your toothbrush.
   • Chewing mint leaves can also help clear your breath. You can also drink tea made by steeping mint leaves in boiling water.
   • Sprinkle salt on a wedge of lemon, and eat the lemon pulp. This negates the bad smell of onions, garlic, and other strong-smelling foods.
6. Drink green or black tea. Tea contains polyphenols that help eliminate sulfur compounds and reduce oral bacteria. They also aid in hydrating the mouth. Drink hot unsweetened tea several times a day for best results.
   • Green tea is high in antioxidants, and helps fight bacteria in the mouth. Sipping green tea can also help neutralize scents from garlic.
   • Both black and green teas are made from an infusion of the leaves of the Camellia sinensis plant. Black tea is one of the most commonly consumed beverage on the planet, second only to water.

Recognizing Bad Breath in Yourself

1. Do a test to see if you have bad breath. It's not always easy to tell when your own breath is foul-smelling to others. If you have bad breath, then these tests will transfer the sulfur salts from your mouth to something you can sniff and smell yourself.
   • Lick the inside of your clean wrist, then wait five minutes. Smell your wrist. If you have bad breath, you should be able to smell it on your skin.
   • Touch a clean gauze to your tongue and smell the gauze. If the gauze smells foul, you have bad breath.
2. Recognize a bad taste in your mouth. If you mouth tastes bad, then it's likely that your breath smells bad. Sometimes after you eat, you may notice that you continue to taste the food you've eaten. Certain strong tastes also are well-known for their odoriferous properties, such as garlic, onion, or heavily spiced foods.
   • Preventing bad breath after a meal is one of the simplest kinds of bad breath to treat.
   • If you notice a bad taste in your mouth that doesn't seem associated with the taste of food you've eaten, this may require additional treatment. Be aware that bad breath can be a sign of throat infections like strep throat.
3. Use a halimeter. For persistent troubles with bad breath, your dentist may have a halimeter. A halimeter is a special machine that is designed to take a reading of your breath. It's like the breath analysis machine used to detect the presence of alcohol or other substances used by police.
   • The halimeter won't affect the conditions that cause bad breath, but can help you gather more precise data regarding the source of your bad breath. Learning more about the causes of bad breath will help you be able to treat it.
   • Halitosis is usually caused by three chemicals; dimethyl sulfide, hydrogen sulfide, and methyl mercaptan. When you find out which ones are present in your breath, you'll be better able to know what treatments will help improve your breath.

Warnings

• Bad breath can be an early sign of oral cancer. Other early signs of oral cancer include lumps or white, red, or dark patches inside the mouth, difficulty chewing, swallowing or moving the jaw, feeling that something is stuck in the throat, numbness in the mouth, thickening of the cheeks, or voice changes. If you notice these signs, see your medical professional.

Related Articles

• Get Rid of Bad Breath
• Meditate on Breath
• Eliminate Body Odor
• Make a Natural Foot Odor Remedy
• Smell Nice
• Choose the Right Chewing Gum
• Have Non Bumpy Teeth
• Have Nice Smelling Breath

Sources and Citations

See also

• Tell if You Have Bad Breath
• Get Rid of Bad Breath
• Use Mouthwash
• Fix Bad Breath on the Spot
• Get Rid of Bad Breath from Onion or Garlic
• Have Nice Smelling Breath
• Get Cigarette Smoke off Your Breath
• Control Bad Breath
• Tell Someone They Have Bad Breath
• Cure Alcohol Breath

Read more ...

What links here

• Cure Alcohol Breath
• Choose the Right Chewing Gum
• Control Bad Breath
• Get Cigarette Smoke off Your Breath
• Have Nice Smelling Breath
• Impress a Girl on a Date
• Whisper in a Girl's Ear
• Have Good Hygiene (Girls)