Oral Health and Genetic Risk Factors

How to Handle Halitosis

Halitosis, or bad breath, is often an embarrassing thing to find out you suffer from. Frequently, you will only know that you have developed the condition because someone mentions it to you. However, there are steps everyone can take to deal with this unwanted problem. Indeed, many of these tips will not just result in getting rid of a bad smelling mouth, but also will help you to keep your breath smelling healthy for years to come.

Rinse Regularly

Although you may brush your teeth and even visit a dentist regularly, there is no substitute for a really cleaning your mouth properly with a rinse. Bear in mind that most mouthwash products contain alcohol, so spit out your rinse after you have gargled with it. Halitosis is often the result of bacterial build up in the mouth and an alcohol-based rinse will simply kill off them off and make it less conducive for them to return.

Scrub Your Tongue

Ever wondered what the rough section of plastic on the reverse of your toothbrush is for? Many toothbrush manufacturers include a coarse area of rubberised plastic on their products so that you can scrub your tongue effectively with it. When brushing your teeth, simply flip your toothbrush over and use this section to scrape and scrub your tongue. Since halitosis often comes from an unhealthy tongue, as opposed to teeth and gums, doing this is a good habit to get into. There is no need to scrub hard – just scrub your tongue gently for a few minutes each day.

Avoid Some Foods

Some smelly foods will make the problem of bad breath worse. Consuming strong flavours does not cause bad breath if you maintain a healthy oral regime, but they can make halitosis more noticeable. Furthermore, some bacteria thrive in certain food-made environments within your mouth, especially noticeable if you consume sugars a great deal. Avoid eating sweets and chew gum instead to create more saliva in your mouth which will act as a natural anti-septic.

Use Floss

Many dental hygienists recommend flossing as a way of keeping your gums in good condition, but it can also help you to dislodge any bits of food that might have become trapped between the teeth in your mouth. Food deposits which are not consumed basically break down in your mouth until they are small enough to dislodge. As a result of this process, your breath can smell bad, so floss regularly to avoid falling foul of the problem.


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