There are many reasons to cover up bad breath (halitosis), but if you want to get rid of it once and for all, take these instructions to heart... or should we say, mouth?
Step 1: You should brush your teeth at least once a day.
There are two major sources of mouth odor.The fertile landscape of your mouth contains hundreds of nooks and crevices where the offending bits of "rot" can get lodged.To use, squeeze a pea-sized amount of toothpaste onto a soft bristled toothbrush and hold the brush at a 45 degree angle to the gums.Being careful not to press too hard or irritate the gums is the best way to brush your teeth.It should take about three minutes to brush.Floss at least once a day and wash your mouth twice daily.You should brush all of your mouth, not just your teeth.
Step 2: Clean your tongue.
You have to do more than just brush your teeth.Since your tongue has a lot of surface area and is covered with bumps and grooves, it harbors more germs than the rest of your mouth.If you want to reduce your bad breath, it's a good idea to remove thebacteria on your tongue.You should brush your tongue from back to front.By brushing your tongue, you can remove bad taste and odor in your mouth, as well as tooth decay and gum disease.If you have a gag reflex, tongue-brushing may make it worse.There are some tips to be found in How to Suppress the Gag Reflex.
Step 3: Floss daily.
Flossing your teeth is just as important to good oral health as brushing.It should be as much of a habit as brushing your teeth.As you remove food stuck to your teeth and gum for who knows how long, your gums may bleed at first.If you dare, you can smell the floss after you pass it through your teeth.You can smell where the bad breath is coming from.
Step 4: It's a good idea to use mouthwash.
Bad breath can be prevented with mouthwash.Choose a mouth wash that contains chlorine dioxide.The back of the tongue has a lot ofbacteria that can't be removed with regular brushing.That can be mitigated by vigorous rinsing with a chlorine dioxide wash.When you're done brushing, floss, and brushing the tongue, try rinsing with mouth wash.This will make sure that you don't have anybacteria after the process is over.
Step 5: If you chew gum, consider it.
The chewing action results in more saliva being produced.Some gums have better bad-breath-fighting abilities than others, and cinnamon flavoring seems to be especially effective in reducingbacteria counts in your mouth.Gum sweetened with Xylitol will cause more odor problems.Xylitol works to preventbacteria from replicating in the mouth.
Step 6: You should keep your mouth clean.
A stinky mouth is a dry mouth.Your mouth produces less saliva as you sleep, which causes your breath to be worse in the morning.It's the enemy of bad breath because saliva washesbacteria and food particles away, and it also has antiseptic and enzymes that killbacteria.saliva production is stimulated by chewing gum, as well as covering up the odor with some kind of scent.saliva production is not encouraged by mints.Drink water.The water should be between your teeth.It is good for you if you drink water because it will wash out your mouth.You can see how to drink more water.Some medications can cause dry mouth.Ask your doctor if you should switch medications or address the underlying condition.
Step 7: Smoking and chewing tobacco products are bad for you.
If you needed another reason to stop smoking, tobacco is notorious for causing bad breath.Tobacco addiction can be hard to break, so visit this helpful page for tips and advice.Smoking or chewing tobacco can cause bad breath, which can be an early sign of oral cancer.If you don't stop smoking, your doctor will have to evaluate you for this serious condition.Smoking tobacco leaves unattractive yellow stains on your teeth.
Step 8: Foods that are odorous should be eliminated.
Our bodies absorb the flavors and odors of the foods we eat, so particularly odorous cuisine can linger in your breath for hours after eating.If you must brush after eating, be sure to eliminate these foods from your diet.Vegetables in the Allium family have a strong smell.You can leave your breath with the aromatic foods prepared with them.Instead of eliminating these foods, try to limit them to times when you will be alone, like dinners at home.Even brushing won't be enough to eliminate garlic smells.Your body digests these foods and the smell goes into the bloodstream and lungs and comes back out as bad breath.If you eat a diet that is high in these foods, you may be able to improve your breath by reducing them without completely eliminating them.
Step 9: Coffee and alcohol can be removed or reduced.
The chemical compounds in these beverages alter the environment of your mouth, making it favorable for odor-causingbacteria to thrive.If you don't want to stop drinking these beverages, you should rinse your mouth with water and then brush your teeth about 30 minutes after drinking them.It's a good idea to avoid brushing after drinking coffee or alcohol as the acid in the drink can make your teeth vulnerable.
Step 10: It's a good idea to eat some calories.
You might have "ketone breath" if you're on a low-carb diet.As your body breaks down fats, it creates ketones, which are released in your mouth.Your breath will smell bad because of the smell of ketones.If you're on a strict diet that requires you to burn fat instead of calories, you might want to add healthy snacks like apples or bananas.Bad breath can be caused by potentially harmfulbacteria, and if you eat fruits with high vitamin C content, you will be able to fight them.This will happen to anyone who fasts for religious reasons or because they are anorexic.Bad breath is one of the reasons to stop starving yourself.If you want to become an Anorexic, read How to Cope.
Step 11: You should talk to a doctor.
If you follow the above steps and the bad breath persists, you may have a medical issue that needs to be treated.Bad breath is a sign that something isn't right.There is a good chance that bad breath is caused by something other than your hygiene practices and diet.
Step 12: Look for tonsil stones.
These are clumps of food, mucus, andbacteria that can be seen as white spots.Sometimes they are too small to be seen in a mirror, but they're often mistaken for a throat infection.A bad breath is caused by tonsil stones.If you see a small white patch on the tonsil, you can gently rub it with a cotton swab.If it doesn't come off or if it is a solid chunk of white matter, it's probably a stone.You will know for sure if you smell it.There is a metallic taste in your mouth.
Step 13: If you have the disease, consider it.
If you have type 2 diabetes, it may be causing your body to burn fat, which results in bad breath.Metformin can cause bad breath.Discuss alternate treatment options with your doctor if you take metformin.
Step 14: Think about other culprits.
There are many illnesses that can cause halitosis.Bad breath can be caused by the release of trimethylamine in your saliva if your body can't break it down.It will be released in your sweat, so persistent body odor might be an accompanying symptom.Bad breath can be caused by infections of the stomach and sinusitis.This one should be checked out by your doctor.A metallic or ammonia smell to the breath can indicate a serious problem with the kidneys.If you have this symptom, see your doctor.