4 Tips for How to Prevent Bad Breath

Are you worried about having bad breath? Bad breath, or halitosis, can be embarrassing and give off a bad first impression. It can ruin a date, a job interview, and even affect your personal relationships. You may not even be aware that you have bad breath, because it is not obvious to you. But if you’re lucky a loved one or caring friend may let you know.

Now what do you do about it? The good news is that bad breath is curable and preventable. You can eliminate your bad breath and keep it from coming back with these 4 tips.

1. Apply Good Oral Hygiene Habits. Improving your breath starts with taking good care of your teeth and mouth. Dentists recommend brushing your teeth twice a day and flossing once a day. When you brush, be sure to also brush your tongue or use a tongue scraper to remove bacteria that settles in the grooves around your taste buds.

Brush your teeth for at least 2 minutes and be sure to brush along the gum line where bacteria likes to hide and plaque tends to form. Floss between each tooth and take care to get the floss down into the groove between your teeth and gums.

2. Watch What You Consume. Certain foods are known to cause bad breath, such as onions and garlic. If you want to prevent bad breath it would be best to avoid these foods. However, if you love foods that have particularly bold flavors, try brushing and flossing your teeth after eating them. This may not completely eliminate the odor, but it can significantly reduce it.

Bad breath can also be caused by smoking and tobacco use. These not only affect your breath, but also cause your teeth to become discolored. If you smoke or use tobacco, brush your teeth after use whenever possible to help prevent the effects of these habits on your breath.

3. See Your Dentist Regularly. Bad breath is often caused by a buildup of plaque on your teeth or gum disease, both of which are related. Going to the dentist on a regular schedule for cleanings and dental exams can eliminate and prevent bad breath. Dental cleanings remove plaque and tartar from your teeth and oral examinations can detect gum disease in the early or advanced stages.

One of the top symptoms of gum disease is bad breath. Gum disease is a bacterial infection of the gum tissue, and the bacteria give off an odor. If gum disease advances it can cause abscessed gums that bleed and ooze pus, another contributing factor to bad breath. Routine dental cleanings every 6 months can prevent gum disease or stop it in the early stages.

4. Use a Breath Neutralizing Mouthwash. There are many different mouthwashes out there that claim to freshen your breath. All have different ingredients that are meant to eliminate or reduce the bacteria in your mouth that cause bad breath. But in the case of severe or chronic bad breath, it may require something stronger.

There are prescription strength mouthwashes and others that are available to purchase or order that can neutralize bad breath and keep it away between uses. Ask your dentist for recommendations if you have bad breath that is not relieved by the other methods above.

Blossom Dentistry Can Help You Eliminate Bad Breath

If you or a loved one suffer from bad breath, Blossom Dentistry can help. From routine cleanings and examinations to treatment of gum disease, the causes of your bad breath can be eliminated to permanently solve the problem. You can try chewing gum or using breath mints, but if the underlying cause of bad breath is not corrected it will keep coming back. Blossom Dentistry attacks your bad breath at the source.

Call (202) 922-2900 today to schedule a visit or book an appointment. We look forward to helping you keep your breath fresh by maintaining your dental health.