Keep your breath sweet during the Christmas season!
You don’t want to be worried about whether or not you have bad breath at any time, let alone during the Christmas season. Bad breath is a common concern expressed by new patients to the practice and is usually easily remedied.
There are several common causes of bad breath:
Dry mouth or lack of saliva flow can lead to bad breath. This is a very common cause, so ensuring you drink plenty of water helps to alleviate this problem.
Bacteria - Food debris stuck on and in between the teeth can begin to rot and result in bad breath. Effective regular brushing and cleaning in between the teeth can remove these possible causes. Tongue cleaning can also assist in some cases.
Diet - What you eat can directly impact your breath. Foods such as onions and garlic are well known to cause bad breath and in these cases you simply need to wait it out until the chemicals causing the odour have left the bloodstream. Ensuring you eat regularly is important as well; missing meals can result in bad breath.
Medical conditions such as sinus infections, acid reflux and chest infections can result in bad breath. Snoring and sleep apnea can lead to “morning breath”.
Smoking and alcohol are well known for causing bad breath, not only at the time but also the next day as the chemicals are eliminated from the body.
Tips to minimise bad breath.
Practice effective oral hygiene daily. Brush twice each day and make sure you use floss or toothpicks to remove food debris from between your teeth.
Drink plenty of water every day to stay well hydrated.
Chew sugar free gum after eating to help clear food debris.
Effectively manage medical conditions such as reflux or snoring.
If you would like more information or are worried you may be suffering from bad breath, then your dentist is the best person to provide advice and support. Contact us today to make an appointment.