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Last Updated: Aug 29, 2019
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Dr. Apoorv MittalDentist • 29 Years Exp.Bachelor of Dental Surgery, Diploma in Hospital Administration, Diploma in Pharmacy
Common Solutions for Bad Breath Smell

Having a bad breath smell is considered a social stigma. Also known as halitosis, it refers to the unpleasant odor that can be sensed when the affected person opens his/her mouth. When in the company of a person with bad breath smell, many people tend to cover their nose. The most frequent cause for this malady is the bacterial growth in the mouth. So, you need to find ways of avoiding the accumulation of bad bacteria in your mouth in order to eliminate bad breath. A very common cause that encourages bacterial growth is having a dry mouth.

The treatment for bad breath varies from oral hygiene, to avoiding certain kinds of foods, particularly those causing a reduction in the production of saliva. Some helpful ways of treating bad breath are mentioned below. You'll also discover the reasons that make them effective.

1. Brush your teeth, followed by gargling, at the end of each meal: it helps eliminating the food particles that may be left in your mouth. These tiny particles can cause a foul smell as they start decaying.

2. Scrap the tongue: your tongue has millions of infinitesimal hairs, where bacteria gets trapped and causes bad breath. You can recognize the presence of bacteria on your tongue as it gets coated with a white layer.

3. Chewing sugar-free gum encourages the flow of saliva, while a dry mouth encourages the growth of bacteria. So, if you keep your mouth hydrated, the bacterial growth is eliminated or restricted.

4. Visit your dentist periodically: your dentist can discover if any gum problems or perhaps a decayed tooth are the cause of bad odor. For instance, that filling in your tooth may have cracked, or it might be inefficiently positioned, allowing food particles to get deposited there, resulting to a bad breath.

5. Avoid mouthwashes and breath fresheners that contain alcohol: though such formulations help masking bad odors for a while, they also dry the mouth quickly, and thus facilitate undesired bacterial growth.

6. Apply peppermint oil: this solution may be applied with or even without using a toothbrush. It has mouth refreshing properties, and it helps killing unwanted bacteria.

7. Use baking soda: a proven treatment for bad breath is brushing your teeth with baking soda. It also helps keeping a good oral health.

8. Consume leafy green vegetables: many people are not aware that chlorophyll, as available in leafy green vegetables, helps keeping your breath fresh all the time. So, start eating such vegetables regularly.

9. Avoid certain foods: toxic foods, such as spicy meats and certain varieties of cheese, including blue and Camembert, should be avoided, as they encourage the formation of gases in the stomach, and these tend to escape through the mouth, causing a foul smell.
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