Mentos fresher! Remember that ad with Dave Grohl and all those various heel breaking shoes? For some reason the Mentos ads are the first things that pop into my mind when I think about fresh breath – great marketing eh?
How many of us often worry about our breath especially after a meal of petai or durian, onions, garlic… you name it. The real reason we worry is because we know what it’s like to have a conversation with someone who has bad breath – that awkward try-to-hold-your-breath-in as you’re listening and be as polite as possible while stepping back, sometimes don’t you wish we could just say “excuse me, here’s a mint!”.
Well here are a few tips to help you have fresher breath all day long.
Related: Oral Hygiene Tips for Cleaner, Whiter Teeth and That Great Smile
Tips to Have Fresher Breath All Day Long
Drink enough water!
Dry mouth can make your breath smell. Why? Because H2O lubricates your mouth, keeping bacteria at bay, and also keeps your body functioning normally. Try to avoid drinking too much of sodas, ice teas, coffee, because they contribute to bad breath but also break away the enamel on your teeth.
Chew on fresh mint leaves or parsley.
If you want to naturally freshen your breath, fresh mint leaves or parsley is the way to go. The mint will help freshen your breath and up your greens intake, and the parsley contains chlorophyll.
Brush and floss every single day.
Flossing is a crucial step not only for better breath, but to your overall oral hygiene. Brushing alone teeth helps eradicate the plaque and bacteria on your teeth, but flossing helps dislodge anything that your toothbrush couldn’t get to. If you don’t floss regularly, the food in between your teeth will feed the bacteria in your mouth, that causes bad breath.
Clean your tongue.
Bacteria stick to your taste buds, so cleaning your tongue is ideal if you have bad breath. When you use a tongue scraper or brush your tongue, you remove any bacteria, byproducts from the bacteria, or plaque that form.
Chew sugarless gum that contains xylitol.
Chewing gum increases salivary flow and helps remove some bacteria and staining, but you want to make it’s sugar-free so you’re not feeding the bacteria in your mouth and contributing to bad breath. Opt for a brand that contains the sweetener xylitol, which is antibacterial. It helps fight cavities and bacteria while improving the health of your teeth and gums.
Eat fruits and vegetables.
The abrasive nature of fibrous fruits and vegetables helps to clean teeth, while the vitamins, antioxidants, and acids they contain improve dental health. Foods that can be particularly helpful include:
- Apples — Apples contain vitamin C, which is necessary for health gums, as well as malic acid, which helps to whiten teeth.
- Carrots — Carrots are rich in vitamin A, which strengthens tooth enamel.
- Celery — Chewing celery produces a lot of saliva, which helps to neutralize bacteria that cause bad breath.
- Pineapples — Pineapples contain bromelain, an enzyme that cleans the mouth.
Say no to tobacco products and smoking
Smoking not only dries out your mouth and body tissues, the nicotine actually squeezes the blood vessels so you’re not getting healthy saliva flow. This combo is what disrupts your mouth’s normal functioning process and leads to bad breath. To avoid this from happening, stop smoking or never start.
Related: Research Finds Hookah Smoking Leads to Serious Oral Diseases
Visit your dentist regularly.
Especially if your bad breath isn’t going away and you’ve tried all of the above, since you could be dealing with something more serious. Cavities and gum disease could be an underlying cause so make sure you get yourself checked regularly. See your dentist at least every 6 months. Or you may have health problems or tonsil stones, or an infection from your sinus that is affecting your bad breath – in this case a visit to the GP may sort you out.
Here’s a great video by Chiutips on YouTube
– Cover Image: pwmc.co.za
