bad breath relief : Eliminating bad breath
Brush and Floss Your Teeth Properly
Brushing and flossing are two of the most crucial elements for attacking bad breath. Bad breath is caused by bacteria which live on our teeth and gums. These bacteria feast on food particles left on our teeth creating volatile sulfur compounds (VSC). These sulfur compounds give breath its foul odor.
Brushing and flossing remove bacteria and the food bacteria feast on so that they can no longer create volatile sulfur compounds. Unfortunately, many people do not brush long enough to remove bacteria from their teeth. It takes 2-3 minutes to brush all tooth surfaces yet most people spend less than a minute brushing their teeth.
Worse yet, few people take the time to floss allowing odor producing bacteria to grow rampantly in the spaces between your teeth. Brushing without flossing is like washing only 70% of your body when you bathe - the other 30% remains dirty.
Clean Your Tongue
While brushing and flossing are crucial first steps, brushing and flossing do not always eliminate bad breath. This is because odor causing bacteria hide deep within the crevices of the tongue.
Ironically, many of these bacteria are anaerobic meaning they can not live in oxygen. How do these bacteria live in the mouth then ? They live safe from oxygen under a protective layer of mucous, food particles and proteins .
Cleaning your tongue with a tongue cleaner can remove this layer and much of the bacteria which resides on your tongue. Remember to clean near the back of the tongue where most of the bacteria resides but be careful not to gag yourself.
Drink Plenty Water
A dry mouth represents the ideal home for odor causing bacteria which flourish in this type of environment. Saliva normally keeps the mouth moist. Additionally, saliva helps wash away the food particles bacteria feed on and dissolves odorous volatile sulfur compounds. Actions which dry the mouth or reduce saliva flow can increase bad breath odor. These include:
The use of prescription medications including antihistamines and decongestants
Excessive talking
Exercising
Dieting
Drinking alcohol or using mouthwashes containing a high amount of alcohol
Smoking
By drinking water we stimulate saliva flow, wash away left-over food particles, and moisten the mouth making it less hospitable to odor causing bacteria.
Copyright 1998, 1999 - SaveYourSmile
Brushing and flossing are two of the most crucial elements for attacking bad breath. Bad breath is caused by bacteria which live on our teeth and gums. These bacteria feast on food particles left on our teeth creating volatile sulfur compounds (VSC). These sulfur compounds give breath its foul odor.
Brushing and flossing remove bacteria and the food bacteria feast on so that they can no longer create volatile sulfur compounds. Unfortunately, many people do not brush long enough to remove bacteria from their teeth. It takes 2-3 minutes to brush all tooth surfaces yet most people spend less than a minute brushing their teeth.
Worse yet, few people take the time to floss allowing odor producing bacteria to grow rampantly in the spaces between your teeth. Brushing without flossing is like washing only 70% of your body when you bathe - the other 30% remains dirty.
Clean Your Tongue
While brushing and flossing are crucial first steps, brushing and flossing do not always eliminate bad breath. This is because odor causing bacteria hide deep within the crevices of the tongue.
Ironically, many of these bacteria are anaerobic meaning they can not live in oxygen. How do these bacteria live in the mouth then ? They live safe from oxygen under a protective layer of mucous, food particles and proteins .
Cleaning your tongue with a tongue cleaner can remove this layer and much of the bacteria which resides on your tongue. Remember to clean near the back of the tongue where most of the bacteria resides but be careful not to gag yourself.
Drink Plenty Water
A dry mouth represents the ideal home for odor causing bacteria which flourish in this type of environment. Saliva normally keeps the mouth moist. Additionally, saliva helps wash away the food particles bacteria feed on and dissolves odorous volatile sulfur compounds. Actions which dry the mouth or reduce saliva flow can increase bad breath odor. These include:
The use of prescription medications including antihistamines and decongestants
Excessive talking
Exercising
Dieting
Drinking alcohol or using mouthwashes containing a high amount of alcohol
Smoking
By drinking water we stimulate saliva flow, wash away left-over food particles, and moisten the mouth making it less hospitable to odor causing bacteria.
Copyright 1998, 1999 - SaveYourSmile
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