Who likes being told that their breath stinks? No one. But it’s worse when you don’t even know it. Bad breath is not just embarrassing for you and others around you but it can also be an indication of your overall poor health.
Fortunately, there are easy ways to prevent bad breath. Good oral health reduces the chances of bad breath and enhances overall health. Visits to dentists are also essential in maintaining healthy oral health and might even identify any disease that might be causing bad breath, which can lead to early prevention of various disorders. The following are effective ways of preventing bad breath:
Keep Hydrated
The most simple and effective way of eliminated bad breath is to drink enough water. Lack of moisture in your mouth can lead to production of more saliva, as well as bacteria that causes bad odor. Keeping yourself hydrated is essential not just for oral health but also your overall health. Make sure you drink at least six to eight glasses of water every day.
Brush Twice a Day
Brushing every day is integral to eliminate plague, food particles, and bacteria that causes bad breath. Ensure that you brush twice a day for about two minutes to effectively remove all particles from your mouth.
Remember to Floss
Aside from brushing your teeth, flossing is also a rather essential part of oral care. Flossing your teeth after each meal or at least one time each day gets rid of smaller particles and bacteria that get left behind after brushing.
Don’t Forget to Clean the Tongue
After brushing, it is highly recommended that you brush your tongue as this eliminates compounds that can lead to halitosis, or chronic bad breath. Those compounds appear when amino acids and bacteria in your mouth combine and it results in unpleasant odor. In order to prevent this, you must clean your tongue every day to prevent such diseases and eliminate bad breath. Tongue scrapers are available at your local health store.
Maintain a Healthy Diet
Your daily intake of food also affects oral health. Foods like garlic and onion result in bad odor and after ingesting it can lead to halitosis. Moreover, foods with high amount of fructose or acidic foods also lead to bad breath as they enhance the bad breath bacteria production.
It is essential that you opt for a healthier diet by including foods that curb intestinal upset and promotes oral health. Consume more protein rich foods like seeds and nuts, beans and fish, fruits and vegetables, and whole grains. Furthermore, if you do consume regular garlic, onion, or other bad breath forming foods, then be sure to instantly brush and floss your teeth to eliminate the bacteria that causes the bad breath.
Always Use Mouthwash
Once you are done brushing and flossing, always rinse your mouth with a mouthwash. This will help in reducing gingivitis and plague while leaving your mouth smelling fresh.
The fresher your breath, the healthy your mouth. Oral health typically indicates the overall health of your body. It is essential that you maintain healthy oral habits, visit your dentist regularly for checkups and consult your dentist immediately if your bad breath doesn’t go away.