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Good oral hygiene is important to avoid bad breath. If you have good oral hygiene, it may help to prevent bad breath. Brushing your teeth at least twice a day and flossing once a day helps to remove bad bacteria from your mouth.

Brush Your Teeth Twice Daily

It’s the easiest and most effective way to keep your breath fresh. When you brush your teeth at least twice each day, you remove food particles from your mouth as well as sugars that are left behind after eating. These foods can cause bad odors in your mouth and lead to tooth decay as well. If you avoid brushing regularly, it’s much harder to keep your breath fresh and your teeth white. Brushing is also an important way to fight off gum disease by cleaning the teeth and gums of plaque buildup that can lead to gingivitis if left unaddressed for too long.

Brush two minutes each time, two times a day. For even better results, brush after each time you eat during the day. Also, use a soft-bristled toothbrush to prevent damage to your gums.

Floss At Least Once A Day

According to the American Dental Association and the American Dental Hygienists’ Association, flossing once daily is essential for preventing tooth decay and gum disease. When you floss, you remove plaque from between the teeth and along your gum line. Plaque is a sticky substance that builds up on your teeth and causes cavities, bad breath, and gum disease. When you don’t floss regularly, you leave plaque behind, allowing it to build up and causing irritation and inflammation to your gum tissues and teeth. You should floss after every meal to keep your mouth clean and prevent bad odors caused by bacteria in your mouth. 

Brush Your Tongue

Some bacteria which produce odor-causing compounds live on the back of the tongue. When you don’t brush your tongue enough and leave it alone after your meal, these bacteria can accumulate and cause bad breath. This is why it’s important to regularly clean your tongue when you brush your teeth. Use a tongue scraper or a  soft-bristled toothbrush to efficiently get rid of any residual food or plaque that may have been left behind on your tongue. This cleaning tool allows you to quickly remove debris from the surface of your tongue without causing irritation to your gums.

Clean Dentures Or Dental Appliances

If you have removable teeth such as dentures or a retainer, clean them daily to prevent plaque and tartar buildup.

Plaque and tartar can build up on removable teeth just like they can on natural teeth. This buildup can lead to bad breath and gum disease. To effectively remove stains from dentures or dental appliances, use a denture cleaner and brush your dentures every day with a soft-bristled brush. If your appliance has metal parts, use a soft toothbrush with a non-abrasive paste to clean these parts as well. After cleaning your appliances, let them air-dry before putting them back in your mouth. Leaving them out while damp might cause bacteria to grow and create foul odors. Your mouth will thank you for these simple steps to maintaining great oral health!

Avoid Dry Mouth

Is it really possible to get rid of bad breath when the cause is from dry mouth? Yes! If your bad breath is caused by dry mouth, it’s easily treatable with solutions like mouthwashes and rinses. If the cause of your bad breath is a systemic issue such as diabetes, then you may need to seek treatment from a healthcare professional. Try to avoid coffee, alcohol, cigarettes, and certain medications that cause dry mouth. If you are suffering from dry mouth, try drinking more water throughout the day and avoiding foods and drinks that are extremely salty or spicy as these foods can irritate and dry out your mouth. Talk to your dentist if you are concerned about how to treat your dry mouth. Your dentist can help you determine the cause of your dry mouth and find an appropriate solution.

Adjust Your Diet

What you eat affects your breath and vice versa! If you’ve noticed that you have bad breath after meals that consist of garlic, onions, or other pungent foods, then you know that certain foods can impact your breath. However, the reverse is also true – some types of food can actually improve your oral health and freshen your breath. Other common culprits of bad breath include sugary foods like candy, soda, and other sweets. When these types of food get trapped between the teeth, they feed oral bacteria that cause bad smells. It’s best to avoid these types of foods in between meals and only consumes them as part of a meal for best results.

Get advanced dental treatments from Prescott Family Dentistry, Fort Mill, SC, by the expert team led by Jason Prescott, DMD, FAGD. For more details and appointments, call us at (803) 802-7878, book online, or visit us at 1860 Coltharp Rd., Fort Mill, South Carolina, 29715.