What Dentists Recommend When It Comes To Halitosis

Nothing can get you labeled as a social pariah faster than a good case of halitosis. The chronic label for the more colloquial “bad breath” terminology, halitosis is something that few will tell you about, but everyone will be talking about behind your back. Unfortunately, even most dentists agree that simply brushing may not be enough to cure you of the ailment. Mints can do the job for a few minutes, and gum is the same way, but they aren’t doing anything that will keep that fresh breath going for any length of time. Here are some strategies that might, however.

Flossing and brushing your tongue are techniques that dentists will often recommend to their patients fighting halitosis. Flossing gets rid of particles of food that get lodged in the teeth. Not only do these present a clear and present danger to your teeth and gums, they can begin to decay, causing a ripe smell that no one will appreciate. A great deal of bacteria can also form on your tongue. Brushing it will work, and using a tongue scraper will do the job even more efficiently.

Herbs act as a natural weapon in the war against bad breath as well. Dentists say that parsley is only one such herb. Others, like spearmint, can be just as effective in taming that inner fire and putting you back in line for soulful kisses from your significant other. Chew on them after you eat a meal to get rid of scents that may linger from the main course. If you aren’t keen on eating the herbs, you might try making a tea out of them. They are effective either way. 

If you smoke, stop. Dentists aren’t usually the ones at the forefront of the stop smoking movement, but perhaps they should be. Smoking not only causes the enamel to yellow, it is an obvious cause of bad breath. There aren’t too many people in the world that like the sensation of kissing an ashtray, so unless you limit your prospective partners to other smokers, you are just making it harder than it needs to be. Of course, tossing those cigarettes will have enormous positive effects on your health besides curing your bad breath.

If you follow this advice and still can’t get to the root of the problem, make an appointment with your dentist and ask in person. They may have additional tips they’ve learned over the years, and they will also be able to discover or eliminate the possibility of any other underlying problems that could be the source of the issue.