Six Ways to Banish Bad Breath

Photo credit: http://eastmelbournedentist.com.au

Even the mighty can become meek when faced with an embarrassing problem like bad breath. Americans spend millions of dollars a year on breath-freshening products, attempting to mask the odor, rather than eliminate the curse.

Granted, that approach often works just fine. The bad breath that plagues nearly everyone after waking up may vanish after breakfast. (Water with lemon helps, too).  Breath mints or chewing gum may camouflage the problem before a business meeting.

Sometimes, however, the pungent aroma is more persistent. Interestingly, we may not even be aware of it-people often don’t notice odor’s emanating from themselves.

SIMPLE WAY TO TEST YOURSELF: Lick the inside of your wrist...wait four seconds … and then sniff where you licked. Or if you really want to get a good whiff, try scraping the back of your tongue with the side of a spoon and smell the scrapping.

Bad breath can be sign of an underlying medical problem-respiratory disease, a gastro-intestinal disorder, diabetes or other systemic conditions- But University of California, Los Angeles periodontal specialist Perry R. Klockkevold, DDS, MS, estimate that 80% to 90% of all cases originate in the mouth. What is the culprit? Gas producing bacteria that thrive on food debris.

WET YOUR WHISTLE

Malodorous germs love dry mouths, so the key to sweetening your scent is to wet you whistle…

• ·         DRINK MORE WATER. Sounds obvious, but many people just don’t drink enough water.

Other liquids, such as soda, coffee, tea etc., are not a substitute for simple, plain water. Drink… drink… drink.

Note: Avoid drinking around mealtimes, when you want to increase stomach acid, not dilute it.

•  KEEP THE SALIVA FLOWING. Part of saliva’s function is to cleanse the mouth and remove particles of food.

TO KEEP YOUR SALIVA FLOWING: Chew. Chewing stimulates saliva production. Chewing parsley is particularly helpful.

BONUS: Once you swallow parsley, the chlorophyll helps stabilize the digestive system and quench digestive substances associated with bad breath.

• STAY AWAY FROM ALCOHOL AND ALCOHOL-BASED MOUTHWASHES.

BEST: Make your own mouthwash. Mix one ounce of tea tree oil, two teaspoons of hydrogen peroxide, one teaspoon of vitamin C powder and one pint of strong mint tea. Keep refrigerated, and shake before use.

•  CHECK YOUR MEDICATIONS. Ask your physician or dentist if any of your prescription or non-prescription medications-including certain antihistamines and antidepressants-decreases saliva production. If so, find out whether there are any good non-drying alternatives.
• STOP SMOKING. Another reason to quit-smoking reduces saliva flow.

Banishing bad breath requires good dental hygiene. Brush thoroughly… floss regularly… and scrape your tongue twice a day-after breakfast and before bed. Although you can try scraping with a toothbrush, preventive medicine expert Ray C. Wunderlich, Jr., MD, PhD, recommends using a plastic tongue scraper with a serrated edge. To scrape properly, start at the back of your tongue and sweep the scraper forward to the tip, rinsing it with water as debris accumulates. Be sure to rinse the scraper with a solution of 3% peroxide after each use.

            If bad breaths persist, your dentist or doctor may ask you to write down when it occurs, what medications you take and what you eat and drink. “Symptom diaries@ are a superb doctor-patient tool to tackle other problems as well-including headaches, shortness of breath and flatulence.

For more information: please visit www.ada.org