The best thing you can do for your mouth, bad breath or not, is to brush your teeth twice a day for two minutes each. The reality is that most people brush for 30-45 seconds at a time and sometimes only once a day. Floss once a day as well, to keep your gums healthy and to get rid of stinky food particles hiding in your mouth. Add brushing after each meal to your regimen if bad breath persists.
There are a number of tools available to help cut down on bad breath, like a tongue scraper that takes away the layer of bacteria on your tongue. If you don’t have a tongue scraper, you can always use your toothbrush. And speaking of toothbrushes, make sure to replace yours every three months or 48 hours after being sick.
Avoid dry mouth by staying hydrated with water and limiting your consumption of coffee, soda and alcohol. Chewing sugar-free gum or sucking on hard candies can help promote saliva to help clean your mouth. If your dry mouth persists, your dentist may recommend an artificial saliva to help with hydration.
Mouthwash can help kill bacteria and neutralize bad breath odors, but it’s only a temporary solution. The longer you wait to brush and floss, the more stinky food particles stay in your mouth.
If you’ve tried all of these tips and still find yourself with bad breath, it’s probably time to schedule an appointment with your primary care physician to see if an underlying medical problem is contributing to the stink.
Remember, your mouth is a good indicator of the health in the rest of your body, so take good care of it, and it’ll take good care of you!