Sunday, February 1, 2015

Getting Rid of Bad Breath

Halitosis (or bad breath) is the consistent exhalation of unpleasant odors from the mouth. Bad breath can be embarrassing and make you self-conscious about speaking or being social. Luckily, simple steps are available that can help fight halitosis and produce a fresher mouth.
  • Brush and floss regularly
    • By brushing and flossing at least twice a day, you are helping to prevent the buildup of plaque, which harbors bacteria known to cause bad breath.
  • Scrape your tongue
    • A day’s worth of eating and drinking can produce a coating on your tongue containing bad breath-causing bacteria. By brushing your tongue along with the rest of your teeth, you can help to eliminate bad breath. You can also use a tongue scraper to get rid of that coating. A tongue scraper applies pressure along your tongue and literally scrapes off bacteria.
  • Avoid foods that cause halitosis
    • Thinking about onions and garlic? Brushing hardly helps when trying to get rid of those odors. Unfortunately, it’s just best to avoid these foods, especially when you know you’ll be in close contact with someone!
  • Stop smoking
    • Using tobacco causes a multitude of issues for oral health, and bad breath is one of them. If you are serious about eliminating your bad breath, then quit using tobacco.
  •  Rinse your mouth
    •  Using mouth wash is an extra step to take when fighting bad breath. Mouth rinses help fight bacteria that is known to cause bad breath.
  • Chew gum
    • A simple mint after a meal won’t do it. Mints contain sugar that increase the amount of plaque in the mouth. Chewing sugar-free gum, however, helps to fight halitosis by producing saliva, which helps to resist plaque-building acids.
  • Keep your mouth moist
    •  Having a dry mouth is a leading cause of bad breath. Acquiring habits that produce saliva can help moisten your mouth and thus fight plaque-producing acids. Chew gum or eat sugarless candies. Using a humidifier at night also helps to moisten the air you inhale.
  • Talk to your dentist
    • An expert professional will know how to combat halitosis better than anyone. If you have tried a number of methods that haven’t produced results, then talk to your doctor who could check for a possible medical condition.


Lawrence Thomson, DDS is a dentist in Coleman TX. To learn more about his practice visit www.mycolemandentist.com