Bad breath or halitosis can be caused by numerous things. It is usually the release of an unpleasant smelling gas produced by the bacteria in the mouth. It can be caused by strong smelling foods such as onions and garlic as well as drinking lots of alcohol and smoking. Some medical conditions can also cause bad breath.
Here are 5 tips to try:
- Drink plenty of water. This has a mechanical action of removing food debris and bacteria that cause bad breath
- Brush your tongue. The tongue harbours lots of bacteria. If you gently brush the top surface of your tongue it will help remove the bacteria. You could also try a tongue scraper.
- Clean in between your teeth. As well as brushing your teeth, bacteria will also get trapped inter dentally. By cleaning in between your teeth with floss or interdental brushes you can remove the bacteria causing bad breath.
- Reduce your sugar intake. Bacteria love the stuff. Lowering your frequency of sugar intake means the bacteria in your mouth has less sugar to ferment and release smelly gases.
- Go see your GP and get a medical. Bad breath can be a sign of an underlying medical condition such as diabetes, sinus infection, post-nasal drip, liver or kidney problems.
Give the above a go and see how you get on.
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