Simple tips that can reduce the potential for having problems with halitosis.
1) Drink plenty of water.
Insuring that you drink plenty of water throughout the day can help to control bad breath (halitosis). This can be an especially important consideration for those people who suffer from xerostomia (chronically dry mouths).
If you allow yourself to become dehydrated your body will try to conserve moisture by reducing its production of saliva. Saliva has a cleansing and diluting effect on the bacteria and bacterial waste products that cause bad breath. A reduction in the amount of saliva in your mouth can make it harder for you to control odors associated with your breath.
2) Rinse your mouth with water often.
Rinsing with water can mitigate bad breath problems for brief periods of time. Rinsing will both dilute and partially remove the bacterial waste products that are the cause of breath odors.
3) Stimulate your mouth's flow of saliva.
You can help to minimize bad breath odors by stimulating your body's flow of saliva. This is because saliva has a cleansing and diluting effect on the bacteria and bacterial waste products that cause bad breath.
One way to stimulate salivary flow is to chew on something. Doing so will trick your body in to thinking that it is getting a meal. And in preparation for digesting this meal your body will increase its production of saliva. You might choose to chew on cloves, fennel seeds, or a piece of mint or parsley.
Chewing gum, breath mints, or lozenges can also be used to stimulate salivary flow. If you elect to use one of these products make sure it is sugar-free since sweets will promote the growth of bacteria that cause tooth decay.
4) Clean your mouth well, especially after eating foods high in protein content.
The bacterial waste products that cause of bad breath are produced when oral anaerobic bacteria digest proteins. After you eat a meal or snack, especially one that is
high in protein content, make sure you clean your mouth promptly and thoroughly. Doing so will minimize the amount of food, and the period of time this food is available, for the bacteria that can cause bad breath.
|
- topic sponsor -
