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Why Bad Breath?

A dental hygienist explains how to prevent bad breath

Why bad breath? Good question. Here are some bad breath causes and advice for how to prevent bad breath.

Causes of bad breath

There are many bad breath causes. Sinus drainage bad breath, bad breath from stomach problems, even bad breath and allergies go hand in hand.

Gum disease is another cause. One that requires treatment. Your dental hygienist can help you choose the best gum disease treatment and help you prevent gum disease from recurring.

Plaque also causes bad breath. We all have plaque.

Why bad breath?

My humble opinion after a long career of fighting plaque; severe halitosis is complicated and hardly ever the result of just one cause.

I believe that most cases of chronic bad breath have multiple causes. Even if your bad breath is related to your stomach or sinuses, a squeaky clean mouth will improve the situation.

You can control bad breath that comes from plaque and improve your health at the same time. I can help you:)

How do you know if you have bad breath? I have heard of a gadget called a bad breath tester that might be helpful but probably not necessary.

Become aware of how your mouth feels. If your mouth feels fresh and clean there's a good chance it smells that way too...if it feels like the inside of an old shoe...well, that's not a good sign:)

My favorite cures for bad breath

Gum or breath spray will fix it for a few minutes. They come in handy when you are pressed for time.

But they only cover up the problem instead of addressing it.

Here are some suggestions for longer lasting results.

Brush your teeth. I know, you already do that, but you can get better at it:) Become an expert at cleaning and massaging your gum line. Plaque loves to grow near (and even under) your gums. Plaque doesn't smell good. Don't forget to brush your tongue...lots of bacteria can hide there.

Floss your teeth. Even perfect brushers can't clean between their teeth and under their gums with a toothbrush.

Learn to floss the right way and do it everyday. If you can't, find some other way of cleaning between your teeth.

A toothpick, Waterpik Flosser, Hydrofloss, or Showerfloss are some options.

Mouthwash is the first bad breath home remedy most choose. Mouthwash alone doesn't provide a long term solution.

Mouthwash doesn't remove plaque once it has formed on your teeth and tongue. Like breath spray or gum, many mouthwashes only cover up bad breath. It's a temporary fix and should be used in combination with other cures for bad breath.

Listerine doesn't remove plaque but does kill bacteria and slows the formation of plaque. Even though it doesn't taste minty fresh, Listerine is a good bad breath mouthwash. Use it for 30 seconds twice a day.

Drink more water Your mouth feels and smells better if you are drinking enough water. Have you had 8 glasses today?

Smokers, drinkers of coffee, and breakfast skippers...

These are not good for your breath.

If you smoke...quit...you can do it!

Drink coffee? To stay hydrated, follow your coffee with a big glass of water and don't forget to brush and floss.

Don't skip breakfast. Eating breakfast gets saliva flowing and keeps your mouth lubricated and smelling fresher.

Want to learn more? click here:

How to Improve Your Tooth Brushing Style

Learn to Floss

Water Floss

Gum Disease Symptoms

Gum Disease Treatment

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SBI!

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