8 Dentist-Approved Ways to Get Rid of Bad Breath

Did you know that over 80 million people suffer from bad breath? No, we aren’t talking about morning breath. Instead, this statistic refers to people who have symptoms of chronic halitosis and among most victims, these symptoms originate from the tongue and gums.

Bad breath is not only embarrassing, but we’ve also established that it is very common. For this reason, dentists all over the world, including Ottawa dentists, have advised several tips to help prevent this smelly condition.

If you follow these tips, you will not only finally be able to say goodbye to bad breath but will have managed to keep your mouth clean and healthy, for the rest of your life. Here’s what you need to do:

1.   Brush at Least Twice a Day

Dentists all over the world advise that you should brush your teeth for 2 to 3 minutes, at least twice daily. In doing so, you will help get rid of food debris and plaque, and both of these reasons are exactly why it is important to brush your teeth before hitting the hay.

It is also advisable to add an additional round by brushing your teeth with baking soda before going to bed. This helps reduce the acidity inside your mouth, which in turn, will make it impossible for bad breath bacteria to grow.

2.   Floss Once Daily

Flossing helps remove food debris that may be stuck between your teeth. You see, it is normal for us to miss these crevices while brushing, but flossing daily will make sure each contaminant is broken loose.

3.   Brush Over or Scrape Your Tongue

This needs to be done to get rid of residue that may have built up around your taste buds and the internal folds of your tongue. This residue also helps get rid of bacteria which, if left overnight, could cause bad breath. If your toothbrush isn’t enough, you could try to invest in a tongue scraper, which is sold at most drug stores.

4.   Keep a Mouth-Rinse Handy

A mouth rinse is a handy tool to mask bad breath, however, if you have chronic bad breath, then this tip will not be able to cure it. In some cases, a mouth rinse may actually exacerbate the problem because its strong chemicals may irritate your oral tissue.

Alternatively, a natural emergency freshener could be made by mixing a few drops of peppermint essential oils to water and rinsing with it. You could also do the same with green or black tea, and a study conducted in the University of Illinois, Chicago, actually proved that it helped mask bad breath.

5.   Visit an Affordable Dentist in Ottawa

There is no foolproof way to get rid of chronic bad breath, or any other dental problem for that matter, than to visit a dentist. It is also advisable to schedule regular appointments with your dentist if you have chronic bad breath, so that they can help rule-out potential dental problems.

If your dentist finds that your bad breath problem is caused by some internal/systemic source, for example an infection, then they might even refer you to a specialist or a general physician.

6.   Quit Smoking and Other Tobacco Products

If you were looking for a strong enough reason to quit, how about not having your loved ones wince every time you kissed them. Smoking has been proven time and again to be a contributor to bad breath. How this works is that tobacco dries out the mouth of the user while retaining an unpleasant smell, which may even linger after you’ve brushed your teeth.

7.   Stay Hydrated

Make sure you drink the recommended amount of water (6 to 8 eight-ounce glasses) on a daily basis to steer clear of ‘dry mouth’. Water helps keep bad odor in check since it washes down all the unwanted bacteria and lingering food particles – all of which are the primary cause of dry mouth and, in turn, bad breath.

8.   Munch on an Apple, a Stick of Celery or a Carrot

Here’s some invaluable advice – snacking on fresh vegetables and fruits increases the flow of saliva between each meal to help naturally wash away bacteria from your gums, tongue and teeth. These snacks have also been known to help get rid of bad breath that one may experience during fasting.

Need Help Finding the Best Dentist in Ottawa?

If you trust Pearlee Dental, they will do everything they can to restore your teeth to their full health. Our services begin from laying out careful treatment plans for our clients, following through and, finally, also maintaining constant communication with them.

Go ahead and browse through our website to find out more or contact us by leaving us an email at info@pearleedental.ca or calling 613-695-9695.