Everyone has bad breath sometimes, and for some, they have bad breath all the time. Whether sometimes or all the time, it is never pleasant. It affects our self-confidence and can affect our personal and business relationships. How do I know if my breath is bad?
Here are a couple of different techniques:
- 1. Ask someone
- 2. Place a spoon as far back on your tongue as you can handle. Let it dry. Then smell.
- 3. Lick the back of your hand using as much tongue as you can stick out. Let it dry. Then smell.
What causes bad breath?
- Mouth
- Bacteria and food debris that cover your tongue and teeth produce foul smelling odors
- Gum disease creates pockets below the gumline where bacteria collect
- Cavities can also create a foul smell
- Oral infections
- Diet
- Certain foods are smellier than others
- An unbalanced diet can cause increased prevalence of malodor
- Alcohol can dry out the oral cavity creating a breeding ground for odor producing substances
- Habits
- Smoking
- Chewing tobacco
- Illness
- Sinus drainage
- Respiratory tract infections
- Some systemic diseases, such as diabetes, has been documented to increase prevalence of bad breath
- Esophagus and Stomach
- Although a more rare cause of bad breath, these anatomical areas can also harbor foul smelling food and bacteria
How to fix bad breath?
- Maintain proper oral hygiene
- Daily brushing AND flossing. Between the teeth is a favorite hang out for odor-causing bacteria. If you want fresh breath, you need to floss!
- Routine visits to your dentist. Hard tartar builds up on teeth over time and can only be removed by a dentist’s special tools. If gum disease is present a “deep cleaning” may be necessary. Also, any cavities or infections can be addressed
- Brush your TONGUE
- Studies show that the tongue is the #1 source of bad breath. Invest in a good tongue brush and actually use it! Orabrush is my favorite.
- Avoid mouthrinses that contain alcohol
- Most mouth rinses do contain alcohol, so look for one that specifically says on the label “alcohol-free”
- Stay hydrated
- Drink lots of water and often. This has many benefits beyond helping your breath as well.
- Chew sugar-free gum
- Chewing sugar-free gum after meals stimulates your saliva (your body’s natural mouth rinse) and helps clean food debris.
- Adjust your diet
- Avoid smelly foods
- Avoid excess alcohol
- Maintain a balanced diet
- Even some dieting strategies, like low-carb diets, can cause bad breath.
- Stop smoking and using chewing tobacco
- Visit your doctor
- Studies show that ~90% of bad breath cases are mouth related. If you are still suffering from bad breath after following these guidelines then visit your doctor to determine if you may have an esophagus, stomach, lung, or systemic issue that may be affecting your breath.
