How to Get Rid of Bad Breath – Permanently
Bad breath is embarrassing. It can destroy a date, interview, and ruin a first impression. Here’s how to get rid of bad breath – permanently. Read on for tips.
Bad breath sucks. And just about everybody deals with it.
Bad breath can ruin social interactions and first impressions, and it also makes the sufferer very insecure.
Sometimes it seems like no matter how much you brush, how much gum you chew, or how many mints you pop, bad breath just seems to keep coming back.
Fortunately, we put together a guide on how to get rid of bad breath permanently. You’d be surprised at how easy these tips are!
Are you ready to take care of that bad breath problem? First, let’s take a look at what causes bad breath.
What Causes Bad Breath And Halitosis?
Some of these causes are a little bit surprising.
- Smoking and tobacco products – This cause is fairly obvious. Not only does smoking and tobacco chew cause bad breath, but they also increase your chances of gum disease that will further affect your breath.
- Hygiene – This obvious cause of bad breath can easily be avoided– do your best to brush, floss, and rinse your mouth out regularly.
- Food – We all know that strong foods like garlic or onion can cause bad breath but any food, in general, can cause bad breath as well. Food particles can get stuck in your teeth and cause odor.
- Dry mouth – Saliva works as a natural mouthwash. If your mouth is extremely dry, odors can start to accumulate.
- Crash diets – Fasting for extended periods of time or depriving yourself of carbohydrates can cause halitosis. The breakdown of fats-producing chemicals called ketones also results in strong mouth odor if fat is burned too quickly and unhealthily.
- Disease – Some cancers and metabolic diseases cause halitosis, as well as gastroesophageal reflux disease. Many dental disorders and diseases also cause bad breath.
How To Get Rid Of Bad Breath Permanently
It’s easier than you think.
Brush Your Teeth After Every Meal
This eliminates the chance of food sticking to your teeth after a meal and causing odor. If you have the time, floss and rinse your mouth with mouthwash in addition to brushing after every meal.
Go To The Dentist
You shouldn’t avoid the dentist!
Not only will visiting a reputable dental practice give you an opportunity to take to your dentist about your breath problem, but a dentist will be able to diagnose a dental condition or disease that may be causing your bad breath problem.
Be Mindful Of Your Breath On The Go
In a rush and can’t brush? Just downed a giant mug of coffee on the train? Try keeping a dentist-recommended breath spray on you to keep your breath fresh on the go.
Stay Hydrated
Dry mouth, as stated above, is a big cause of bad breath.
Be sure to drink six to eight glasses of fresh water every day to keep your mouth hydrated and odor-free.
If you have excessive dry mouth, and drinking lots of water doesn’t seem to help, you should see a dentist or doctor as soon as possible. Many diseases cause dry mouth, and you could be dealing without a yet to be diagnosed illness.
Don’t Skip Breakfast
Only 44% of Americans eat breakfast, and that’s disappointing for many reasons.
Not only is eating breakfast good for your health and metabolism, but it helps you start your day off right and energized.
Dentists recommend never skipping a meal, especially breakfast, to help reduce volatile sulfur compounds (VSCs) that are produced by the body when it isn’t properly fueled.
Because VSCs are produced overnight as well, eating breakfast can help reduce bad breath throughout the day.
Quit Smoking and Reduce Coffee/Alcohol
This should go without saying, but you really can’t take care of your bad breath problem until you take care of these unhealthy habits.
Quitting smoking could almost immediately lead to improved breath. Reducing coffee and excessive amounts of alcohol, especially during the day (“day drinking”) will also aid in reducing bad breath.
Plus, you’ll feel a whole lot better.
Scrub That Tongue
Bacteria that causes halitosis and bad breath tend to sit at the back of the tongue before the throat.
Ever brushed your teeth after a meal and still felt like your mouth was kind of gross? You probably missed the back of your tongue.
When you brush your teeth, try to gently clean the back of your tongue with a tongue scraper to get rid of that bacteria.
Don’t use the bristle of your brush– your tongue is a sensitive muscle, and brush bristles are irritating and further stimulate the gag reflex.
If you don’t have time to scrub your tongue, swish some mouthwash in your mouth and try to get the back of your tongue as much as possible.
Eat Healthy
Believe it or not, the types of food you eat can cause bad breath. And we’re not talking about super-heathy garlic and onion– we’re talking about junk food.
If your diet is seriously lacking healthy food, your body may not be getting the dental health-boosting antioxidants that you need. Junk food can also cause upset stomach and excessive acid production that causes bad breath.
Crisp vegetation like lettuce, apples, carrots, and pears naturally clean your teeth, too. Be sure to consume those carbs to reduce VSCs, too.
Replace Your Toothbrush
You should absolutely be replacing your toothbrush every two months. An old toothbrush accumulates gunk and won’t clean as well with old bristles.
Chew Some Citrus
Chewing a lemon may not seem the most fun thing to do, but chewing on lemon or orange rind for a few moments will give your mouth a freshening burst of flavor. The citric acid will get your salivary glands going too, so this tip would work great for dry mouth sufferers.
You can also chew of fresh sprigs of basil or cilantro for breath freshening. The chlorophyll these herbs produce aids in getting rid of odors. Chewing a handful of fennel seeds or cloves will hep reduce bacteria that causes halitosis as well.
Good Luck!
We hope our little how-to guide on eliminating bad breath will help you take care of your bad breath issue.
Do you have a bad breath eliminating tip? We’d love to hear from you in the comments!