Help! I have bad breath!
Halitosis or bad breath is a common and embarrassing problem. But what can you do about it?
Read on for our guide to keeping your breath fresh!
1. Do you regularly attend the dentist for examinations and scale and cleans?
Bad breath is caused by certain bacteria that build up in our mouths. It’s normal to have bacteria in your mouth, but to control bad breath, it’s important to make sure your teeth and gums are healthy. A common cause of bad breath is active gum disease. Gum disease is where the jawbone holding your teeth in shrinks away from your teeth, and this can eventually make your teeth loose. The cause of gum disease is bacteria, so if you have active gum disease, getting it treated could really help with your halitosis.
If you have any tooth decay, this will also cause large amounts of bacteria to be present in the affected tooth or teeth all the time. We can’t stress the importance of 6 monthly checkups and cleans in order to maintain healthy and fresh breath!
Having your teeth cleaned 6 monthly will remove any hardened bacteria deposits on your teeth (commonly called tartar), which could be causing halitosis. It also will help remove any stains and softened bacteria that you may have missed when brushing.
2. Brush or clean your tongue.
The top of the tongue harbours a lot of bacteria. Cleaning your tongue regularly (twice a day, when you brush your teeth), can remove a lot of the bacteria that may be causing halitosis. You can use your toothbrush, or specialised tongue cleaners to do the job.
3. Brush twice (or three times if you can) daily and make sure to floss nightly before bed.
Brushing and flossing your teeth will remove food particles (which can also smell if they rot), and importantly, dental plaque. Reducing plaque in your mouth will help to keep your breath smelling fresher. Flossing is also very important, as it removes food particles and bacteria in between our teeth in those spots that our toothbrush can’t get to.
4. Chewing gum.
Chewing a sugar free gum in between meals, or if you can’t brush after lunch is a great way to not only reduce tooth decay, but also keep your breath smelling fresher. Chewing gum stimulates saliva production, which helps to prevent tooth decay. We recommend Recaldent Chewing gum. Not only is it sugar free, it is also protects teeth from acid attack, inhibits plaque formation and promotes enamel subsurface remineralisation. Yes, there actually is a chewing gum that is good for your teeth and helps to repair them! Recaldent Chewing gum can only be purchased from selected dental practices and chemists. We regularly stock Recaldent Chewing gum for purchase by patients at the Dental Quarters.
Are you concerned about your bad breath? Call us on 6143 5655 for a consultation, or click here to book online.
