One of the most common dental problems that adult patients experience is chronic bad breath. Bad breath can put a damper on your self-esteem and your social interaction with other people. No one likes to strike up a conversation when they’re worried that their breath is stale.
So what can you do to keep your mouth and breath feeling and smelling fresh? The truth is that maintaining good breath requires preventative oral care—a healthy mouth is a fresh mouth! Breath mints and oral sprays may temporarily mask foul odors, but in order to gain control of your malodorous breath, you have to take charge of your dental health. Our Elmhurst general dentists recommend that you:
Maintain a diligent dental hygiene routine. Make sure to brush your teeth at lest twice a day to prevent plaque and tartar build-up. Tartar and plaque trap bacteria in your mouth, causing bad breath. Flossing twice a day is also crucial to preventing dental decay between your teeth.
Incorporate antimicrobial mouth rinses into your oral hygiene routine. Antimicrobial mouth rinses kill bacteria, and a rinse is able to reach places you may miss with brushing and flossing.
Watch what you eat. Certain foods can contribute to bad breath. If you’re consuming foods with a lot of sugar you’ll probably find that it’s hard to keep your breath fresh. Sugars and carbohydrates feed oral bacteria, thereby producing bad breath. One of the best things you can do for your breath is limit your sugar and starch intake, and brush soon after consuming these foods.
The best way to treat bad breath is to attack it at its source. If you are able to prevent substantial tartar and plaque build-up, you’ll enjoy fresher smelling breath every day. Remember that while mints and gum may temporarily sweeten breath, they are not long-term solutions, and they could actually make your chronic bad breath problem worse over time. Give our Elmhurst general dentists a call if you have questions, we’re here to help—(630) 733-1624.
