Oral Health Tips to Make Your Mouth Fresh and Clean

Bad breath, also known as halitosis, is a common medical condition in which an unpleasant odor is released from your mouth. Certain foods, health conditions, and oral habits are among the most common causes of bad breath. You can improve your bad breath with proper dental care and hygiene.

Bad Breath Causes

The major causes of bad breath include poor dental hygiene, oral infections, dry mouth, throat diseases, and certain medications. The minor underlying reasons that are usually subtle comprise constipation, certain food items, tobacco products, and dehydration.

How to Treat Bad Breath

Listed below are some practical ways to treat bad breath.

• Maintain good oral hygiene

  If you want to get rid of the bad breath, you must practice good oral hygiene.  For this, you should brush your teeth at least twice a day and floss once a day. This will help you to keep your oral cavity clean and free from residual food particles, which contributes immensely to your bad breath.

• Make sure to scrape your tongue properly

  When brushing your teeth, scraping the tongue using a tongue scraper helps to get rid of the smelly coating on the tongue. A tongue scraper is a small and rounded long tool made up of plastic or metal. To scrape your tongue, touch your tongue with the scraper gently. Then, pull it forward slowly towards the tip of your tongue. Clean and store the scraper neatly.

  Besides reducing the bad-breath, using a tongue scraper also improves your sense of taste and gives your tongue a cleaner look. However, you have to be careful while using tongue scrapers since their improper use can cause permanent damage to your tongue.

• Rinse your mouth frequently, especially after eating food

  Swishing the mouth with water helps remove the bad-breath causing agents. You can also use fresh mint mouthwash instead of water for better results.

• Avoid foods that cause bad breath

  Certain foods, like onion and cheese, can cause stinky breath. Avoiding such foods can help reduce the bad smell.

• Regular dental checkups

  Regular dental checkups can be beneficial if you want to prevent bad breath because a dentist can quickly diagnose and treat the reason for the bad breath.

If you are looking for a dentist near you, call our Ames Dentist to schedule an appointment.