Everyone has probably suffered from bad breath at one point or other, whether you know it or not. And therein lies the problem. It is very difficult to tell when you have bad breath unless it is embarrassingly pointed out to you by someone else. All the hand-cupping techniques and wrist licking can’t ever really prove if you’re breath smells. The only real weapon against bad breath is prevention.
Bad breath can be caused by issues such as poor digestion or intestinal problems but over 90 per cent of cases are caused by bacteria in the mouth and poor standards of oral hygiene. Bacteria thrive in the mouth where conditions are perfect. There are 500 million bacteria that live on the average human tongue alone. Another cause of bad breath is the food matter that gets caught between the teeth and decays. When this happens it releases foul smelling sulfurous compounds which cause the breath to smell.
Mouthwashes and other bad breath fighting measures such as chewing gum can mask the smell but they won’t tackle the cause of the problem and it will return. The best way to combat bad breath is to brush your teeth properly twice a day and floss in the morning to remove food mater from between the teeth. Flossing is particularly useful as it cleans areas that conventional brushes are unable to reach. Brushing and flossing also help to fight plaque, a filmy substance full of bacteria that lives on the enamel of the teeth. Plaque is also a cause of bad odour and by removing it not only will your breath smell better but it will also help to keep teeth free from decay and cavities. It is also important to brush or scrape the tongue using a specially designed brush. The bristles on normal brushes are too soft to effectively clean the tongue so it is a good idea to buy a special brush. A dentist in Toxteth will be able to recommend which cleaning tools are the best for your mouth during a routine check up.
Bad breath can therefore act as a warning sign that your oral hygiene regime isn’t quite up to scratch and could do with improving. A dentist will be able to offer instruction in how to clean more effectively. Remember to keep up your six-monthly check-ups at the dentist and help to fight tooth decay and have fresh smelling breath.
Tags: bad breath, halitosis, oral hygiene, plaque, teeth decay