Employ proper tongue cleaning techniques to instantly freshen breath
Morning breath is only ever acceptable in the morning, in that space of time between waking up and heading to the bathroom to brush your teeth. But every day, a reported 45 percent of people in the world suffer from chronic bad breath, or halitosis.
Halitosis is caused by a combination of certain foods, dry mouth and bacteria found in the mouth. Most halitosis is a result of bacteria found in the mouth. The best way to treat bacteria-caused halitosis is with thorough cleaning of the entire mouth.
A variety of products exist to help keep halitosis under control, including mouth wash, chewing gum, breath mints and toothpaste. Utilising these tools and incorporating another tool, the tongue scraper, is a proven method for eliminating halitosis.
If you suffer from halitosis, you should brush your teeth at least twice a day with a toothpaste that contains fluoride, dentists suggest. In addition, brushing your tongue will help with halitosis. You can do this with your toothbrush or with a tongue scraper. Tongue scrapers can be purchased individually or they can be found on the undersides of some toothbrushes.
Thorough and regular flossing will also help prevent halitosis as this will remove lodged food that has been wedged between your teeth. Mouthwashes with low alcohol content that contain chlorine dioxide are also effective at eliminating halitosis, as is paying a visit to your dental hygienist frequently.
Tongue cleaning is a proven method for eliminating and preventing halitosis as it directly removes bacteria from the mouth. When cleaning your tongue, you should clean as far back on your tongue as you can. Be advised, this may make you gag the first few times you do it, but over time, your gag reflex will lessen.
As discussed, you can purchase a tongue scraper to aid in removing bacteria from your tongue. A tongue scraper is a plastic strip that can be fashioned to form a loop. You place the loop on your tongue and pull gently, scraping it across the surface of your tongue until the scraper comes off. It will bring any bacteria present on your tongue with it. Repeat this step until you have removed all the bacteria you can. Finish the process by thoroughly rinsing your mouth with mouthwash.
Bad breath (halitosis) is a common problem, which is easily treatable. Often, bad breath occurs in the morning and after eating strongly flavoured foods, but if you have unpleasant breath more frequently, there may be an underlying cause. Most cases of halitosis are linked to bacteria lingering in the mouth, usually at the back of the tongue. Good oral hygiene can help to keep these bacteria at bay, preventing them from collecting in the mouth and releasing odorous gases. Other possible causes of bad breath include smoking and taking some forms of medicine. If oral hygiene is the problem, we can offer advice about brushing and flossing at home, as well as providing powerful cleaning treatments, which tackle stubborn plaque and bacteria and leave the mouth feeling lovely and fresh. We recommend brushing twice a day for at least 2 minutes and having a check-up every 6 months to keep bad breath at bay. Chewing sugar-free gum after eating can also help to prevent bad breath, as well as stimulating saliva production, which helps to wash away food debris and neutralise acids in the mouth. If you have bad breath, you’re not alone; this is a very common issue and there’s nothing to be worried or embarrassed about. We are here to help banish bad breath for good!
Call Today On 0117 973 1910 Email info@cliftonsmiles.co.uk
Dr Gerrard is a Bristol based Cosmetic dentist with many years of experience and is one of only a small number of dentists accredited by The British Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry