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Dental hygiene tips for healthy teeth & gums

Factors that lead to bad breath

Whether it’s your most awaited date or an interview for your dream job, bad breath can ruin almost every special moment of your life. The effects of bad breath not only damages self esteem but also lead to a poor oral hygiene.

Fortunately, there are a lot of ways to avoid bad breath. However, you must first know the reasons what is causing bad breath. A bad breath occurs when sulphur-producing bacteria on the surface of the tongue and in the throat become active. These bacteria release volatile sulphur compounds, known as VSC. They lead to the unwanted smell of your mouth, as researched by the Better Health Channel, an Australian state-owned website.

So, there are multiple factors that lead to a bad breath, however, the major contributors involve the food you eat. The secondary one being, your oral health, dry mouth, smoking and so on. Chronic diseases and kidney failure can also lead to a bad breath sign. So it’s no surprise that most cases of halitosis are associated with gum diseases such as gingivitis and periodontitis, and dry mouth, a condition in which the salivary glands cannot make enough saliva to keep your mouth moist. A visit with a dentist may help rule out periodontal disease and identify any oral health issues that could be contributing to bad breath.

Since most cases of halitosis originate from inside the mouth, your first step should be evaluating your basic brushing and rinsing technique. It is of paramount importance that you give extra focus to the tongue because that’s the place where you get a large amount of the germs. Scrape the tongue, then floss and rinse. Brushing alone cleans only 25% of your mouth. Therefore it is recommended to add rinsing to your routine to get your whole mouth clean.

Avoiding bad breath is quite easy. All you need to do is stay hydrated, brush your teeth, floss, use mouthwash, gentle tongue cleaning and so on.

How to Get Rid of Bad Breath

Here are some helpful tips to improve bad breath:

  • Brush your teeth twice a day after meals.
  • Always use a fluoridated toothpaste.
  • Avoid tobacco, smoking, and tobacco-based products.
  • Rinse and gargle using an alcohol-free mouthwash
  • People with dry mouth must drink large amount of water throughout the day.
  • Using over-the-counter moisturizing agents like dry mouth sprays, dry mouth gels etc are known to do wonders.

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