Bad breath isn't just an indication of what you eat. Apart from being a turn off for people who come in contact with you, it could also hint at health problems.

Here are 5 reasons that cause bad breath and ways to overcome the same.

1) Unhealthy Teeth And Gums - Most of the bad breath and halitosis problems result due to unhealthy teeth and gums. Basically, people who don't take care of their dental hygiene are prone to the problem. 
Solution - Clean your teeth and rinse your mouth properly to get rid of the annoying rotten egg stench.

2) Lack Of Hydration - If you are not drinking enough water, you can have bad breath. Saliva washes away smell causing bacteria. But not having enough water will lead to lesser saliva, which will lead to dead and rotting cells that will stink. 
Solution - Drink atleast 8-10 glasses of water daily, at regular intervals.

3) Allergies - Nose and asthma related allergies are one of the leading causes of bad breath. 
Solution - Make sure that you get rid of the allergies via proper care. Also, hydrate more when you have any allergy, like sinus problems or tonsil infection, it helps in clearing allergies out.

4) Eating the wrong stuff - Garlic, uncooked onion and too many spices can also lead to bad breath. 
Solution - Use moderate spices and always rinse your mouth after each meal. Also, avoid foods that are high in sugar as they promote more bacteria. 

5) Acid Reflux - If getting gaseous feeling in the pit of your stomach is a common problem for you, then you might have bad breath too. Heartburn, indigestion and acid reflux are common causes of bad breath. 
Solution - Avoid foods that can cause a reflux and try light eating. It will take care of other health problems too.

If you have any questions on improving oral and dental hygiene, please click on 'Consult Privately.

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Bad Breath - 5 Reasons You Might Suffer From It And What Can You Do About It

Basics That Beat Bad Breath

Bad breath is embarrassing. It inconveniences you and everyone around you. It affects your life in more ways than you might be aware of. It is crucial that you give due care to your oral health well in time to save difficult procedures and unbearable decay in time. Here are a few ways how you can do that:

1. Brushing Twice: This is the first and the most important. The reasons of odour in the mouth are mainly gum disease, tooth decay, and cavities. You should brush your teeth twice, once right after you wake up and just before you go to bed.

2. Tongue Cleaning and Flossing: It’s not just brushing, you need to clean your tongue too. This is the area where harmful bacteria are present. To avoid odour and mouth diseases, ensure that you have a tongue cleaner and that you clean your tongue every time you brush your teeth. Also remove the in-betweens of the teeth with a flossing thread. It ensures complete deposit free oral hygiene.

3. No to Mints: Avoid using mints and gums to disguise the odour in your breath. They are temporary disguises and do more harm than good. They have sugar which stays back in your mouth and spoils your oral health, drastically. If you have to choose ones which are free of sugar.

4. Drink Ample Water: If your mouth is dry, it is a bad sign. Saliva has the important enzymes which help kill bacteria. If your mouth is dry, bacteria are increasing. So, drink water. Ensure you drink at least eight glasses of water in a day.

5. Rinse After Every Meal: Always wash the insides of your mouth well, after eating anything, esp. chocolates and other sugary foods. A good swirl with water inside your mouth will get rid of the food lodged in corners.

6. Pick The Right Fruits: Certain fruits and vegetables are very good for oral health. Juicy and crunchy Vitamin C rich fruits like bell peppers, broccoli, berries and apple have a cleansing effect on your teeth.

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6 Effective Basics That Beat BAD Breath

Prevent mouth ulcers naturally

Ulcers are painful sores on the lips, tongue, gums or the insides of the cheeks. These are common and usually happen due to bowel diseases, hormonal imbalances and stress. While there are medicines and ointments available to cure sores, you can cure the ulcers naturally also. 

Rinse with baking soda - baking soda or salt can be used to rinse the mouth. Mix a few pinches of either in a glass of warm water. Now swish the water around the inside of your mouth and spit it out. Do this about three times in a day.
Orange juice - orange juice has vitamin c and as ulcers sometimes occur due to lack of this vitamin, drinking the juice can prove to be helpful. 
Oral hygiene - prefer using toothbrushes with soft bristles. Also ensure that you brush your teeth after every meal to keep any food out of your mouth.
Avoid spices - avoid eating spicy, acidic and hot foods.
Extremely hot beverages - tea and coffee should be avoided. Yogurt and buttermilk, on the other hand, are highly beneficial.
Have onions - raw onion contains sulphur which is good for health of inside your mouth.
Consume amla - make a paste of indian gooseberry (amla) and apply it over the ulcer. This provides quick relief and healing.
Avoid meat - animal protein increases the acidity in the body. So, avoid fish and meat.
Gargle - use fresh coconut water to gargle with about three to four times a day. This cleanses the mouth and eases the pain.

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How To Prevent Mouth Ulcers Naturally

Who doesn t love the smell and the freshness of a mouthwash splashing across their oral cavities?

Many agree that the first thing that comes to their mind when they want to eliminate bad breath is to use a good mouth wash. Moreover, mouthwash has moved over to other realms and are now actively fighting gum and tooth problems along with their elder cousin, a toothpaste. However, there exists some scepticism that prolonged usage of mouthwash may not be good for your health. Let us look at some definitions in detail.

Can mouthwash reduce bad breath?
Yes, a mouthwash can temporarily restrict bad breath, but it is never a permanent solution. A good oral hygiene comes from regular brushing and flossing practice and these are still the best ways to curb bad breath from its root. Mouth rinses are used for a variety of reasons: to freshen up breath, to help prevent or control tooth decay, and to reduce plaque

Is it necessary to use mouthwash?
A mouthwash is not mandatory to give a good oral health. An effective routine of brushing and flossing your teeth is enough to take care of good oral hygiene. Mouthwash is like an add-on to your oral care regime and is definitely not an alternative for brushing and flossing.

Advantages of using a mouthwash
A mouthwash can easily go into places between your teeth and gums and can help remove food particles that might have missed when you brushed. It can be used to kill bad odour of your mouth temporarily and can freshen up your breath. In some cases, a mouthwash may be recommended to treat infection, reduce inflammation and relieve pain

Disadvantages of using a Mouthwash
Most of the mouthwash contain a high amount of alcohol content in them and their prolonged usage is not safe for your mouth. In some cases, alcohol causes sensitivity to the root surface of your teeth and this may lead to adverse effect on the senses of your teeth. Mouthwash is strictly meant for spitting and accidental consumption may not be good for your health. They actually contain products that can be very harmful if taken in large amounts. It is generally not advised for children and even adults can limit their usage to twice a day. Always check with your dentist before you take up and use a mouth wash. It is also best if you can opt for a homemade mouthwash that has natural ingredients in them for taking care of your bad breath.

Mouthwash - Should You Really Use Them?

Small painful mouth sores can be anywhere in the mouth lips, soft palate, hard palate, cheeks, gum base, tongue and even on the roof of the mouth. When situated  inside the mouth, they can cause pain during eating or swallowing, especially with hot or spicy foods. A bigger cause for concern is that these mouth sores or mouth ulcers or canker sores could be an indication of an underlying health condition. A lot of chronic diseases, including HIV, herpes, and syphilis, manifest themselves as mouth sores. The following are some of the health conditions to watch out for when you have mouth sores. Each disease has characteristic appearance and so very often are easy to identify.


1. Herpes simplex (HSV1): The herpes simplex virus causes sores on the lips only which are usually painful with red blisters that last about 10 to 14 days. These are caused by herpes simplex virus type 1 and the sores appear about 20 days after contracting the virus. Also, once they enter the system, they can cause recurrent attacks especially when the immunity is low.


2. Canker sore: The most common type of mouth ulcer, they are also known as aphthous ulcers and are usually seen on the soft tissues of the mouth (not the hard palate or the gum base). These are generally innocuous and heal within 5 to 7 days. Do reach out for medical help if there are more than 5 to 6 bouts of canker sores in a year.


3. Oral thrush: Also known as candidiasis, this is where there are whitish lesions on the tongue and the insides of the mouth. Candida is a fungus that is normally present in the mouth, but when the immune system is weakened, it can lead to an infection, orally manifested as white lesions. These are typical and appear in toddlers and in patients with anemia, diabetes, HIV/AIDS, or cancer patients on chemotherapy.


4. HIV/AIDS: Another disease which first can be diagnosed in the mouth is HIV/AIDS. In the first stages of infection, known as acute retroviral syndrome, where the first symptoms of the disease begin to manifest, oral ulcers are one of the first symptoms. With the other associated symptoms, more workup for diagnosis should be done followed by appropriate treatment.


5. Oral cancers: The lining of the inside of the mouth can develop cancer and usually it appears in the form of chronic non healing ulcer that just does not go away. Seen anywhere in the mouth, nonhealing ulcers are a cause for concern and should be investigated and treated.


As seen above, mouth sores may be harmless often, but in some cases, may have something more to tell about the health in some cases. 

Mouth Sores - Could They Be More Than Just a Sore!

How Garlic CURES Bad Breath

It’s a little known fact that Garlic is very effective when it comes to battling bad breath. Garlic is a natural cleanser and an antibiotic. It helps the body to push out the decaying food particles stuck to the intestinal walls while also killing the harmful bacterium present therein. Food stuck in your gut generally makes your breath smell foul. It’s your body’s way of telling you to clean your stomach. 

To get rid of bad breath, simply mince 3-5 cloves of Garlic and swallow with a small glass of milk. You can also add a pinch of parsley to the mix for added effectiveness.

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Surprise! Garlic CURES Bad Breath.

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