Bad breath happens to the best of us. And unfortunately, bad breath doesn’t care when we have a job interview, a first date, or an important client meeting. It can be frustrating when you’re dealing with it on a daily basis. Luckily, you don’t have to put up with bad breath. Learn how to get rid of bad breath by addressing its root causes.
How to Get Rid of Bad Breath
Understanding the Root Causes
Before you can get rid of bad breath, you need to fully understand the root causes. We’ve written a more in-depth post about this topic. To summarize, there are four major causes of bad breath:
- Bacteria: Even healthy mouths have thousands of bacteria. However, too much bad bacteria in your mouth can cause bad breath. Bacteria feed off the food residue in your mouth, which is why it is important to brush and floss regularly.
- Decay and Gum Disease: If you have untreated cavities or gum disease, there’s a good chance you also have bad breath. Bacteria causes decay and gum disease by accumulating in gum pockets and destroying the pulp of your teeth.
- Your Diet: Garlic causing bad breath isn’t a myth. When you eat certain foods like garlic, fish, onion, and coffee, a few of their particles can enter your lungs. This affects the smell of the air you breath out (source).
- A Dry Mouth: In healthy mouths, salvia cleanses your mouth by removing food particles. If you’re struggling with a dry mouth, you could also be struggling with decay and gum disease.
Your bad breath could also be a sign of a larger health issue, like diabetes, cystic fibrosis, or liver disease (source). Consult with both your dentist and your doctor if you are experiencing bad breath every day.
Steps to Eliminating Bad Breath
Of course, your breath will won’t naturally smell minty fresh. However, healthy mouths typically have a neutral smell. Take steps to get your breath back to normal:
- Increase Your Water Intake: Many doctors still follow the old eight-glasses-of-water-a-day rule. However, some experts believe you should drink more water depending on how much you weigh and work out. Increasing your water intake can prevent dry mouth.
- Watch What You Eat: We’re not saying you have to say goodbye to garlic bread and coffee for good. However, if you have an important event coming up, consider avoiding the common offenders of bad breath beforehand.
- Use Mouthwash: Mouthwash can help eliminate the bacteria behind bad breath.
- Floss and Brush: You probably haven’t heard it here first: Flossing and brushing twice a day is crucial for achieving optimal oral health. If you want to get an even deeper cleaning, use a water flosser to break up the colonies of bacteria under your gums.
- Address Your Health Issues: Sometimes bad breath is your body’s way of telling you that something is wrong. Work with your doctor to determine if a health issue is causing your breath to smell bad.
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If you’re dealing with bad breath, avoid the temptation to mask the problem with mint gum or mouth spray. Learning how to get rid of bad breath involves addressing the causes. Your dentist and oral hygienist can be great resources for helping you come up with a personalized plan for eliminating your bad breath. At Wilkinson Dental, we are committed to helping you achieve a healthy smile. We are proud to offer you and your family a relaxing office environment while providing the care you need for a happier, healthier smile. We offer a variety of services like cleaning and exams, teeth whitening, and more. If you’re ready to set up an appointment, please give us a call at 417-708-0556 or contact us online. We look forward to hearing from you!