How To Get Rid Of Bad Breath
If you think you have bad or unpleasant breath, you are not alone. An estimated 80 million (yes, million) people in the US suffer from chronic bad breath. And having awful breath stinks (pun intended). It can affect your social life and your confidence, as well as be an indicator of a more profound health concern.
If you are worried about chronic bad breath, schedule an appointment with our dentist in Kenosha, Dr. Felicia Mata-Stein at Denthetics, LLC. Until your dental appointment, or if you are bothered by occasional bad breath, read the below helpful tips provided by our family and cosmetic dentist, Dr. Felicia Mata-Stein has provides some helpful tips.
Brush Your Tongue
Everyone knows we should brush our teeth twice daily, which is essential for promoting better breath. But also make sure you pay attention to your tongue. Bacteria love to hide and multiply on the soft textured tissue of your tongue. Removing debris and bacteria from teeth won’t do much for the bacteria living there. This accumulation of bacteria sticks together, creating a biofilm on the tongue’s surface. Left alone, it can cause bad breath.
An easy way to help remove bacteria and film from the tongue is to brush your tongue with your regular toothbrush while brushing your teeth. Use a soft-bristled toothbrush and be gentle to avoid harming your tongue. Many Kenosha patients find they prefer a tongue scraper to a toothbrush. However, both methods appear equally effective, so choose whichever suits you.
Don’t Forget to Floss
Even if you brush your teeth and tongue thoroughly, bits of food particles can get lodged between your teeth. Bacteria feed on them, and the result, again, is bad breath. So, we should floss before we brush. This way, you dislodge these nasty little bits of food and debris, and brushing will help remove them. If you don’t like flossing, consider a water flosser.
Stay Hydrated!
We cannot stress enough how much drinking lots of water can positively impact your health. And while many people realize water intake is essential, they don’t know it can help your oral health too. Water itself cleanses your mouth but also stimulates the production of saliva, which multiplies that cleansing effect. Moreover, a dry mouth contributes to bad breath, and sipping water throughout the day can help.
Eat Healthy Snacks
Raw veggies and fresh fruits contain water and can stimulate saliva, which helps remove bacteria. Crunchy options like apples, crisp lettuce, raw carrot sticks, and celery can even help physically remove bacteria from teeth. In addition, healthy snacks take the place of less healthy sugary snacking. Steer clear of dried fruits and juices as these options contain concentrated amounts of sugar, and in the case of dried fruit, they can become stuck between teeth.
Conversely, garlic, onions, and even coffee cause lingering bad breath. They can stay in your bloodstream and be expelled from your lungs for up to 72 hours. Healthy snacks like these also counteract these stinky foods.
No Smoking
Smoking and tobacco use (including vapes) can cause bad breath. However, over time it can be even worse. Smoking, vaping, and other nicotine and tobacco can cause tooth decay, dry mouth, and gum disease, contributing to halitosis.
Get Regular Check-Ups
Getting a check-up every six months at Denthetics, LLC helps prevent bad breath. Both cavities and gum disease are leading causes of persistent bad breath. Therefore, early detection of tooth decay and gum disease is vital to get proper treatment before it progresses.
Similarly, terrible breadth may result from an infection or abscess, which can be dangerous and uncomfortable. But, again, our Kenosha dentist, Dr. Mata-Stein will be able to recognize and help treat this if it is the case. So, schedule your check-up and teeth cleaning at your favorite Kenosha dentist office, Denthetics, LLC for fresher breath today!
Schedule An Appointment At Denthetics, LLC!
Call our Kenosha dentist at (262) 612-3807 if you have bad breath. With over 25 years of experience, our family and cosmetic dentist, Dr. Mata-Stein treats many patients for bad breath from Kenosha, Pleasant Prairie, Somers, Sturtevant, and many surrounding areas. We also treat patients for bad breath at our Loop, Chicago dental office.