As you get ready for a first date, you are anxious to make a good impression with this special person. You style your hair just right, pick the perfect outfit, and apply products that give you an appealing smell. Before heading out the door, however, you worry about how your breath smells. One whiff of stinky air emanating from your mouth could prevent your date from getting close to you.
If you want to avoid this on your romantic outing and to celebrate National Fresh Breath Day on August 6, you’ll need to understand where bad breath comes from and how to stop it from interfering with your life.
Causes of Bad Breath
Everyone gets bad breath every now and then. For example, most people have foul smelling breath when they wake up in the morning. However, you can struggle with this symptom at other times of the day as a result of the following.
Strong-Smelling Foods
If you have food with substantial garlic or onions, you may find that your breath stinks for the rest of the day. Other foods that can bring a strong smell include spicy curry, fish, dairy products like yogurt or cheese, and sugary snacks.
Dry Mouth
When your mouth is not properly moisturized and lubricated with saliva and water, oral bacteria are allowed to grow and thrive. These bacteria produce foul smells, which are typically neutralized by your saliva. If you do not drink water regularly or stay hydrated, the stink from the bacteria becomes more potent, regular, and noticeable.
Poor Oral Hygiene
Oral bacteria flourish not only in a dry environment but also in a sugary, starchy environment. Unless you brush at least twice and floss once every day, bits of your food can remain in your mouth, feeding the bacteria and promoting smelly breath.
Solutions for Bad Breath
Although the methods of getting rid of bad breath are simple, just keep in mind that it could take consistent effort to maintain nice-smelling breath. To this end, you can try these tips.
- Choose your diet carefully: If you have an important event, presentation, or date coming up, you may want to pass on strong foods and choose something less potent.
- Scrape your tongue: Bacteria can hide on your tongue as a white, filmy coating, but scraping your tongue is a quick, easy way to freshen your breath.
- Chew gum, not mints: Sugar-free gum not only comes in minty fresh flavors but also sticks to food debris, helping to clean your teeth after you eat.
- Drink plenty of water: Keeping your mouth moistened will reduce and neutralize bacteria’s smelly impact on your breath throughout the day.
- Brush and floss daily: Regular oral hygiene prevents plaque buildup and reigns in bacterial growth in the mouth.
- Visit your dentist regularly: Routine professional cleanings ensure that any plaque you’ve missed is removed, giving you a fresh, clean feeling and smell.
Ultimately, you may not be able to prevent bad breath 100 percent of the time, but if you follow these tips, your breath should generally stay fresh, especially for your date!
About the Author
In his career, Dr. John White has distinguished himself from his peers through his dedication to continuing education. He has taken thousands of hours of additional training and earned Mastership in the Academy of General Dentistry, a distinction only 1 percent of dentists have achieved. He has also completed all coursework at the prestigious Dawson Academy. To schedule an appointment with Dr. White, you can contact his practice online here or call 828-684-3020.