If you want to get close to people, build friendships and date women then you need to avoid bad breath. Having bad breath can leave you feeling alone and isolated. Simply talking to someone can cause embarrassment and anxiety. It’s considered one of the biggest turn-offs when it comes to dating and can even ruin relationships. In the eyes of women, bad breath means poor hygiene. With that in mind, below we’ve listed a few facts about bad breath and how to take care of it.
Common Causes of Bad Breath
Smoking, alcohol and coffee cause bad breath because they make your mouth dry. When you have a dry mouth, the bacteria become more concentrated in the saliva, meaning the bacteria evaporates more readily into the air. The bad odours are therefore released from the bacteria into your breath.
- Obvious foods such as garlic, cabbage and onions (contain high amounts of sulphur compounds). Also, high protein foods such as meat, fish and diary can cause bad breath because the waste from bacteria that causes bad breath is created from breakdown of certain proteins – a common problem for men on a high protein diet when building muscle.
- The waste products of oral bacteria that lives on the surface of your tongue – especially at the back of your tongue.
- Certain types of medication can cause bad breath, especially if you’re on multiple types of medication – many prescription medications list a dry mouth as a possible side effect.
- The bacteria related to bad breath are related to the bacteria that causes gum disease. If your breath is bad enough to clear rooms, there’s a good chance that you’ve got gum disease.
Bad Breath Solution
Firstly, how bad is your breath? If you think you’ve got a problem, don’t wait for people to tell you that your breath smells. Blow into your capped hand and take a quick sniff. If it smells bad to you then it’ll definitely smell bad to others. If you have persistent bad breath, visit your hygienist who’ll be able to do a bacterial test which will show if there are high levels of odour-causing bacteria. If your bad breath isn’t a constant bother, then take the following actions:
Brush and floss your teeth – By brushing and flossing, you remove the bacteria and food that bacteria feeds on to create sulphur compounds that cause bad breath. Brush all tooth surfaces – this should take about 2-3 minutes. If you spend less than this then you’re not doing it right. After brushing, use dental floss to remove any remaining bits of food.
Clean your tongue – Cleaning your tongue is one of the best ways to prevent bad breath. The main area to concentrate on is the back of your tongue, which holds the most bacteria. There are a few ways to clean your tongue:
- Use a toothbrush: Apply the toothbrush as far back as possible and with some pressure, make brush strokes outward towards the front of your mouth.
- Use a tongue scraper: You’re less likely to gag using a tongue scraper, which is the main problem when using a toothbrush. We recommend the Orabrush Tongue Cleaner.
Use a mouthwash – Use mouthwash in conjunction with the advice given above – it’s not a cure for bad breath on its own. Mouthwashes contain different ingredients. Look for mouthwashes that kill bacteria (antibacterial mouthwashes) or mouthwashes that neutralize sulphur compounds. Chloride dioxide mouthwashes are best! Flavours to go for are mint, lemon or cinnamon – all of which remain longer compared to other flavours such as strawberry or bubble-gum.
Other Tips to Get Rid of Bad Breath
Chew chewing gum – Chewing stimulates the flow of saliva which helps dissolve odorous sulphur compounds. It also helps cleanse the teeth. Chew a gum after eating, drinking and smoking. Always choose sugar-free mint flavour gum.
Drink water – Dry mouth causes bad breath. Drink plenty of water throughout the day to keep yourself hydrated.
Drink green tea – Green tea contains antioxidants which help fight bacteria by slowing their growth. By killing odorous bacteria, you can reduce bad breath.
Clean your mouth regularly – Try to clean your mouth out as soon as possible after eating – especially protein foods.
