Preventing Bad Breath

The cornerstone of good oral hygiene

Bad breath, or halitosis, is caused by several factors. Causes of bad breath include the food you eat, poor dental hygiene, or other unhealthy lifestyle habits. When you eat foods with strong odors, it absorbs into your bloodstream and carries to your lungs, which affects your breath. Poor dental hygiene is also a characterization of bad breath. Failing to brush and floss allows bacteria to grow in between your teeth, around your gums, and on your tongue. Occasionally, bad breath is a sign of another health problem, such as gum disease, dry mouth, or cavities.

Tips on how to treat and prevent bad breath:

Practice good oral hygiene. Brush your teeth 2-3 times a day and floss at least once a day. Replace your toothbrush every 2-3 months, or after an illness. Clean your dentures or retainers regularly.
Avoid any foods or liquids that may cause bad breath. Don’t smoke or chew tobacco-based products, since both of these can cause bad breath.
Avoid alcohol, as it may lead to dry mouth, and don’t drink too much coffee, since its smell is hard to erase from your breath. Drink plenty of water. Staying hydrated will help keep your mouth moist and produce saliva to wash away harmful bacteria and food particles from your mouth.
See your dentist regularly. This will ensure that you stay on top of any tooth or gum problems in order to both prevent and treat any issues that lead to bad breath. If you are struggling with bad breath, your dentist can also recommend anti-septic mouth rinses to kill the bacteria in your mouth.

If you follow these tips, bad breath will become a thing of the past. Always remember to practice good oral hygiene, and you will eliminate many oral problems before they even begin.

Begin brushing at the top of each tooth with a soft-bristled toothbrush, and then move up from the bottom. Use small, circular, angled motions to help you reach the surface under the braces’ wires.
Next, use a proxabrush (sometimes called a “Christmas tree” brush) to remove any remaining food caught in your braces. Insert the brush in between your braces arch wires and the tooth’s surface, sweeping back and forth several times to ensure cleanliness.
Use a floss threader to aid in the flossing process. Thread your floss through the eye of the threader, and slide the threader between your arch wire and tooth. Pull floss through, and continue with normal flossing procedure.
Finally, you may want to use a fluoride rinse for extra dental care hygiene. This will wash away any remaining food particles and clean areas a toothbrush can’t reach.

Once you have had your braces taken off, remember to take proper care of your retainer. Clean it with a spare toothbrush every time you brush your teeth, and use a disinfectant on it at least once a week.

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Tips for the best method of brushing

Hold your soft-bristled toothbrush at a slight angle and use short back-and-forth motions.
Avoid harsh scrubbing, since this will irritate your gums.
Start by brushing the outer surfaces of both your upper and lower teeth, and then brush the inner surfaces of upper and lower teeth as well.
Next, brush the entire chewing surface of each tooth to remove excess food particles.
Finally, gently brush the tongue to rid it of food particles and airborne bacteria and to prevent bad breath.
Finish by using an antimicrobial mouthwash or mouth rinse to freshen your breath and prevent gingivitis and gum disease.

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