Bad breath (halitosis) is like a bad mood–you shouldn’t inflict either onto others. It never ends well. The last thing you want is to have a conversation with someone who’s only thinking about how you’re torturing their nose hairs when they should really be listening to you.
You can’t even blame them, either. The bad smell and residing icky taste in your mouth are unsettling for you, too. It can even damage your body image and self-confidence. In many ways, it’s like a curse. And you’re sick of awkward encounters and insecurities. You’re sick of it all.
So you finally decided to get up and make a change. No more stinky breath. And we’re here for it. In this short read, you’re going to learn the causes behind bad breath and get research-backed remedies–for the sake of nose hairs everywhere.
What’s causing my bad breath?
It may seem obvious that your bad breath is due to poor dental hygiene: When we don’t brush, plaque builds up, and trapped food particles mix with oral bacteria–which causes the foul odor.
However, there are other culprits that we should acknowledge, too:
Bronchitis/sinus infection/postnasal drainage: the developed mucus during any of these conditions smells bad. As the mucus drips down your sinus and throat, it meets the air you’re exhaling through your open mouth (since you can’t breathe with a congested nose). That’s when it transfers to your breath.
Smoking or chewing tobacco: the tobacco lingering on your breath can cause bad breath. Both activities can also result in a dry mouth and cause gum disease.
Dry mouth: the saliva in our mouths eliminates particles that may cause bad odors. Saliva deficiency can therefore cause bad breath, as malodor-inducing particles can remain.
Kidney/liver problems: these dysfunctional organs may have trouble filtering out toxic substances from the bloodstream and rest of the body, which results in bad breath.
Stenchy foods and beverages: as your stomach absorbs food oils (like from garlic and onions) during digestion, they travel to your lungs through the bloodstream, where it mixes with exhaled air.
Gastroesophageal reflux disorder (GERD): when your stomach contents like bile, undigested food, and stomach acid, reflux up your esophagus. This can leave residue in your mouth and mix with oral bacteria, making the foul breath odor stronger.
Remedies for Bad Breath
So how do you get rid of bad breath? Most of the time it’s not that difficult–especially if you have the right tools. In this short section, we’re going over the possible solutions:
Scrape your tongue
Tongue scraping may be helpful for cleaning a coated tongue, which is a buildup of debris, bacteria, and dead cells on your tongue. Doing so can effectively remove odor-causing bacteria, but also improve your tongue’s appearance and may even elevate your sense of taste.
The Mastermedi tongue scraper boasts a 100% stainless steel finish with a U-shaped curve for flexible ease of use in your mouth. Two non-synthetic handles give it a good grip. And it has an anti-gagging ridge in the back of the mouth for effective back-of-the-mouth cleansing. Lastly, as it is travel-friendly and durable, confidently remove gunk on the go.
Rinse with an anti-microbial mouthwash
Rinsing your mouth with an anti-microbial mouthwash inhibits and destroys the growth of microorganisms that are causing the bad breath odors in your mouth. It’s a great temporary solution to freshen your breath and kill mouth germs before brushing your teeth again.
Treat a dry mouth
You can let some Orahealth Xylimelts dissolve in your mouth if you suffer from halitosis caused by a dry mouth. It stimulates saliva production, reduces the risk of tooth decay, and reduces plaque by 50%–as claimed on the package. Xylitol is the hero ingredient that helps your teeth fight cavities. What's more, it can be used with braces, dentures, and CPAP machines. The best thing about this product is that it is easy to use- stick the discs to your adjoining cheeks and gums and instantly feel your mouth be moisturized and rehydrated.
Parting Words
We went through causes of bad breath and potential remedies, but remember that it’s most important to ensure you’re not a victim of bad breath at all. And the trick is incredibly simple: practice proper oral hygiene.
Brush your teeth for 2 minutes, twice a day. We recommend that you use an electric toothbrush, which is more effective in improving gingival health and removing dental plaque. Additionally, flossing your teeth helps you reach hidden food remains and reduces the build-up of plaque in the gums to prevent bad breath.
Now, with the research-backed bad breath products at your side, every time someone offers you gum, you won’t be wondering whether they were being generous or if it was because you reeked of bad breath. You’ll happily chew, and pass forward the kindness.
Remember that no dental products can replace the advice or recommendation of oral health care professionals. You should visit the dentist regularly and consider a thorough professional cleaning if you have doubts about your oral health and the effectiveness of the recommended products.
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