How Do I Get Rid Of Bad Breath?

Good oral hygiene is essential for a healthy mouth and a beautiful smile. It can also help to prevent many dental problems. Poor oral hygiene can lead to cavities, gingivitis, and gum disease. Good oral hygiene includes brushing your teeth twice a day and flossing at least once a day. It also includes regular dental checkups. Here are the tips to prevent bad breath. 

Brush Your Teeth After You Eat

Food particles often get stuck in-between teeth throughout the day. If you consume foods that contain sugars and starches, bacteria in your mouth will feed on these foods and produce acids that erode tooth enamel and cause tooth decay. That’s why it’s recommended to brush after eating.

In order to prevent cavities and maintain good oral health, brush your teeth for at least two minutes twice per day with a soft-bristled toothbrush. Replace your toothbrush every three months or sooner if you get sick. While most people may be tempted to skip brushing their teeth at night, you should actually keep a routine of brushing before going to bed every night. This removes plaque and leftover food particles from your mouth that can cause bad breath and lead to other serious complications. If you’re unsure of how frequently you should be changing your toothbrush, talk to your dentist about how often to change your toothbrush.

Floss Daily

In addition to brushing twice a day, you should also floss at least once each day to help remove food debris stuck between teeth and along the gum line. If you don’t regularly floss, you increase the risk of having cavities and gingivitis.

Stay Hydrated

Drinking water also helps keep the mouth clean and free of harmful substances. You should drink at least eight glasses of water a day. Avoiding sugary drinks such as soda can also help keep your mouth healthy and clean. If you can’t avoid sodas and other sugary drinks, try to drink them through a straw to reduce contact with your teeth.

Brushing Your Tongue

To get rid of bad breath, you need to brush your tongue. Use a tongue scraper or a toothbrush to gently scrape the surface of your tongue and remove any lingering food particles. Don’t forget to rinse your mouth with water afterward. 

Clean Dentures Or Dental Appliances

You can avoid bad breath and eliminate the bacteria that cause it by removing your dentures and rinsing your mouth with water before putting them back in. You should also clean your dentures daily using a denture brush or soft-bristled toothbrush. Be sure to rinse them thoroughly to remove any debris that you picked up during the day. Make sure they are completely dry before placing them back in your mouth to avoid irritation from bacteria that breeds in moist environments. 

Avoid Dry Mouth

A dry mouth can increase your chances of developing bad breath. This is because saliva helps cleanse your mouth, removing food particles and washing away bacteria. When there isn’t much saliva present in the mouth, this creates a perfect environment for bad breath causing bacteria to grow. Drinking a lot of water and chewing sugar-free gum can help stimulate the production of saliva. Additionally, avoiding tobacco products will also keep your mouth from drying out.

Adjust Your Diet

Some foods can cause bad breath temporarily, like garlic and onions, but others can actually cause chronic bad breath. Dairy products, for example, are high in sugar, which can cause cavities and gum disease. Since your mouth makes a lot of acids when you eat sugary foods, that can also lead to odors. Alcoholic beverages can also dry out the mouth tissues and cause foul-smelling bacteria to grow in the mouth. Coffee is also a beverage that can lead to bad breath because caffeine can dry out the mouth and stain the dental enamel. Tobacco is also a big culprit of bad breath, as it can boost plaque production, lead to inflamed gums, and leave an unpleasant odor. Limiting your intake of these foods can help reduce bad breath.

Schedule Regular Dental Checkups

The best way to treat bad breath is to schedule a dental checkup with your dentist. The dentist will give you an examination to determine whether you have gum disease and to treat it if that is the case. They will also check for any underlying medical conditions that may be the cause of your bad breath. They will then work with you to create a personalized treatment plan that will help you get rid of bad breath for good. This might include cleanings, scaling, etc.

Columbia View Dental is dedicated to providing you with safe, effective, and quality treatment. Contact our best dentist in The Dalles, OR, today at (541)296-5677 to learn more about our dental treatments. Get all your questions answered at Columbia View Dental, 1915 E 19th St, The Dalles, OR, 97058.