13 Habits to Prevent Halitosis (Bad Breath)
Halitosis in its simple terms is known as bad breath. It is a condition that is very common with any third or fourth consecutive person in day-to-day life. As we all know the common proverb prevention is better than cure. The habits to prevent halitosis lies in the fact that what is the root cause of this condition. Here are the 13 habits which are not only to prevent halitosis but to boost your confidence in your general day-to-day life.
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Diet control
Keep a check on the food items you take before going to sleep like onion, garlic, or foods containing a lot of sugar which lead to the formation of bad breath. In the gaps of large meals eat small snacks in the form of vegetables like apples or carrots which helps in the formation of more saliva and wash away bacteria like streptococcus mutants and porphyromonas gingivalis. Avoid keeping your stomach empty because an empty stomach produces acid lead to cause foul breath. Maintain a low-carb diet. Try probiotics like yogurt, sauerkraut, etc which contain a high number of S. salivarious K12 and S, salivarius M18 to retain good bacteria in the mouth.
Prevent Dry Mouth
A dry mouth condition called xerostomia which means lack of saliva in the oral cavity sometimes becomes a reasonable cause of the bad smell. Consume a small quantity of water after 2 to 3 hours and keep your oral cavity moist try using chewing gums to stimulate more saliva formation or visit a dentist for proper medication.
Drink water
Drinking a good quantity of water daily according to body weight is a very easy solution to prevent halitosis. Scarcity of water in the body decreases the saliva count and ultimately leads to gives bad bacteria growing in your mouth. Therefore ensure to put water alarms in your mobile phones and smartwatches so that they can remind you of consuming water on time.
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Brush your Teeth
American Dental Association in its paper says that failure to brush teeth appropriately leaves food debris in your mouth. To brush teeth two times a day or after every meal is not only a good general habit but also a method to prevent this condition and to save you from public embarrassment too. Brushing with toothpaste containing fluoride properties and with some flavoring agents is proven as the best remedy to control the foul breath. Proper brushing habits can be learned for adults as well as children by visiting a nearby dentist.
Use Floss
There are two types of floss commonly available in the market as one in thread form and another inbounded in stick both are easy to carry in a pocket and you can remove the food particles lodged in between teeth any time of day or night and can get rid of food particles responsible for the smell.
Tongue cleaning
Cleaning the tongue while brushing teeth can act as a useful method to harbor the condition. The person with coated tongue has benefits over one with an uncoated tongue. Use easily available tongue cleaner designed especially for different forms of tongue or you can use the backside of toothbrushes to do the scrapping.
Mouthwashes
Mouth wash contains certain chemicals like cetylpyridinium chloride, hydrogen peroxide, and chlorhexidine which removes plaque deposited on your teeth within hours of food intake. Plaque is a thin invisible layer that gets formed on the surface of teeth after food intake and inadequate cleaning of the mouth. Using mouth wash 2 times a day is considered a good oral habit. If you don’t want to use chemicals then simply use warm water with a few drops of peppermint oil or green tea. Chewing cinnamon sticks is a good option to fight against bacterias.
Denture and Appliances Cleaning
Those going through a dental treatment like orthodontic should use the interdental brush and try not to accumulate debris and plaque near to wires and molar area. Pediatric patients with space maintainers or other habit correction appliances and persons with removable partial or complete dentures should clean them at night before sleeping.
New Toothbrush
It’s been advisable to get a new toothbrush after three months because using the same one for years would not let you clean your teeth and gingiva because of attrited bristles therefore try getting a new one with soft bristles and advanced technology. The use of electronic toothbrushes nowadays is very common for a better and advanced cleaning option.
Avoid Alcohol
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As a lot of hard drinks contain more sugary substances and regular consumption of them is not good for health. Drink a lot of water after a drink to resolve the problem.
Quit Smoking or Tobacco Products
Chewing tobacco products like pan, gutkha, khaini, or smoking cigarettes/ bidis which come under smokeless form and smoke tobacco categories leads to daze the situation. These products lean towards a dry mouth condition so be sure to quit this bad habit as soon as possible.
Antibiotics
A course of antibacterial medicines which are a proven solution against anaerobic bacterias like metronidazole can be taken to stop the overgrowth of sulfur producing bacteria’s which may help in some cases.
Appointment with Dentist
If you are sick of this habit try to fix an appointment with your dentist and get regular sittings with them to keep your teeth and dentures in healthy condition. The dentist will be able to diagnose and treat the condition in the best possible way he could do. Dental problems like gingivitis and periodontitis are the common ones responsible for the situation and need proper treatment like scaling and root planning to treat the problem permanently.
Consult a Physician
Sometimes in adults the cause is not might be oral cavity but a problem related to systemic conditions like throat/ sinus problem, gastroesophageal reflux disorder, liver diseases, and diabetes. In babies/ young children it could be some undiagnosed medical condition therefore consulting a good physician is a great idea to deal with.
Deepak Kansal
I am a Dental Professional, Acquainted Content writer and creator, Imparting valuable dental knowledge through trickycare.com and working towards making a difference. Any information provided on the Trickycare platform is for general information only and does not constitute professional advice.
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