Bad breath happens to everyone, even celebrities, presidents, and your boss at work. While sometimes there are medical causes for someone’s bad breath, it can be easily combated by a few changes in your day-to-day habits.
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There are several reasons to quit smoking, and one of them is to finally put an end to bad breath and smelling like an ashtray. Not only does smoking damage your gum tissue, it can stain your teeth and increases your risk of oral cancer.
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Investing in tongue scraping can add just seconds to your brushing routine while effectively banishing bad breath. Your tongue can often be the root of bad breath due to a layer of stinky bacteria that hangs out there. There are specific tongue scraping tools you can purchase, or you can simply brush your tongue for a few seconds.
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Don’t eat onions or garlic ever. Okay, that’s a bit extreme, but still avoid them on important dates or business lunches. The reason that onions and garlic are so offensive is because they contain substances that make their way into your bloodstream, travel to your lungs, and then you breathe them out. Unfortunately, brushing just can’t help much with garlic or onion breath.
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Flossing isn’t just required for your oral health, it dislodges food particles that would be otherwise stuck between your teeth and are trapping bacteria. Besides, you should be flossing once per day anyways.
- If you can’t brush after eating, try rinsing out your mouth with water or chewing sugarless gum about 20 minutes after mealtime. Chewing stimulates saliva production, which combats bacteria and cavities. Skip the breath mints or sugary gum which will mask your breath on the short term but cause other dental problems in the long run as the sugar sits on your teeth.
At Lakeway Cosmetic Dentistry is here to make sure you are comfortable with all aspects of your smile. Contact us today for a consultation.