Bad breath is a real confidence killer. Not only is it embarrassing, but it also negatively affects both your personal and professional relationships, and causes social rifts that can be so easily avoided.
The good news is that bad breath can be prevented, but it all comes down to identifying exactly what’s causing it. Usually you’ll find that it’s caused by a coating of odour-causing bacteria at the back of the tongue, but it can also be egged on by certain foods, poor oral healthcare, improper cleaning of dentures, Periodontal disease or Xerostomia (dry mouth).
Solving Your Bad Breath Problems with OptiSmile
Whatever may be causing this humiliating problem, rest assured that there is without a doubt a solution and that we’ll help you find it. Check out OptiSmile’s fresh breath tips below, call us or stop by our brand new practice on the 3rd floor of the Point Mall in Regent Road, Sea Point. Our dental hygienists will take your (bad) breath away 😉
FRESH BREATH TIPS
- First of all, get control over the problem. Ask a family member to tell you whenever you have bad breath or not.
- Gently clean your tongue with a tongue scraper.
- Brush twice daily.
- Floss daily or use inter-proximal brushes.
- Have your teeth cleaned periodically by our dental professionals to ensure your gums don’t bleed easily and that there is no gingivitis or periodontal gum disease.
- Eat fibrous vegetables, such as carrots and celery. This helps to keep the tongue clean.
- Clean your mouth after eating and drinking proteins, such as milk products, fish and meat. Bacteria on your tongue breaks down protein to produce (smelly) sulphur. Chewing sugar free gum helps when you can’t brush.
- Drink plenty of liquids, especially water, but be aware that drinking too much coffee may make the situation worse.
- If you wear dentures, it’s vital to clean them correctly with a denture brush and soak them overnight in a antiseptic solution as recommended by your dental professional.
- If you suffer from a dry mouth, your tongue coating will be worse, increasing the chances of bad breath. Chat to your doctor to see if your medication is the cause of your Xerostomia.
- Post-nasal drip due to allergies or illness will also make your breath worse, as continuous protein mucous is being broken down by the tongue coating, which gives off sulphur. Again, chat to your doctor about whether your medication may be causing this.
- If odour comes from your nose and not from your mouth, see a doctor immediately as it may be caused by medical problems.
- Contrary to popular belief, bad breath, also commonly known as Halitosis, does not come from the stomach or lungs. In most cases, a simple cleaning of the tongue will do the job just fine.
Yours in dental excellence,
Dr. Clifford Yudelman
