Dental Hygiene 101: How To Deal With Bad Breath

Don’t hide behind your breath any longer!

Is bad breath getting you down? Whether or not it may be a consistent occurrence; bad breath has affected every one of us.

According to the American Dental Association, an estimated 65% of Americans have bad breath while over 40 million Americans have consistent bad breath, also known as chronic halitosis.

We at Penn Dental Family Practice strive to bring you up-to-date, informative and useful information; which is why we present to you Dental Hygiene 101: How To Deal With Bad Breath.

How To Deal With Bad Breath

What Causes The Smell?

Bad breath, also known as halitosis, can be caused by a variety of reasons. Sometimes bad breath is caused by leftover food in the gums and teeth. Other reasons can include:

• Medications
• Periodontal Disease
• Dry Mouth
• Tobacco Use
• Poor Oral Health

How Do I Diagnose it and Treat it?

Diagnosing halitosis is probably as easy as it sounds. Simply have a friend, relative or dentist smell your breath. Pretty simple, huh?

If you decide that you need to seek treatment for your breath, your dentist may recommend to you a mouth rinse and toothpaste that kills the bacteria in your mouth.

More serious issues involve treatment of periodontal disease. Your dentist or hygienist will measure your gum tissue and determine if you have inflamed or bleeding gums (signs of periodontal infection) – which do lead to halitosis.

What Home Remedies Can I Try?

Aside from making sure to use mouth rinse and toothpaste, you can manage how to deal with bad breath by:

• Flossing – Flossing at least once a day not only helps prevent bad breath, it also helps prevent cavities. By flossing you are removing the remaining debris from between your teeth and below your gum tissue.
• Brush or Scrape Tongue – Your tongue is a halitosis haven due to the bacteria and amino acids that combine and create unpleasant odors. Brushing or scraping your tongue can significantly reduce bad breath.
• Drink Lots of Water – When your mouth is lacking water, it’s lacking the saliva that helps drown odor-causing bacteria. By staying hydrated, you may prevent dry mouth and smelly breath.
• Watch What You Eat – We all know that obvious foods such as onions and garlic can cause bad breath, but did you know that sugar and acids are equally as odor-causing? These compounds actually increase the bacteria in your mouth and decrease the saliva flow.

Start Your Journey of Fresh! Get Clean Breath Today.

We hope that you have enjoyed this informational on how to get rid of bad breath. If after these home remedies, you still cannot shake off the stink, please give us a call at 215-898-7337 or make an appointment online to see one of our hygienists and bring that smile back to the odorless perfection it was meant to be.

How To Deal With Bad Breath | How To Stop Bad Breath