Many times, when patients think of having a “pleasing smile” they think about how their smile will look—for example, having white, straight teeth. But equally important to the appearance of your mouth is the smell of your mouth. If you have persistent bad breath, you’ll probably find that you don’t like to get close to people, laughing, smiling, or talking.
If you’ve been suffering from bad breath, don’t be embarrassed; this is actually a common problem among adults. The important thing to know is that you have treatment options that can help freshen your breath and give you the confidence you need to interact with people.
Obviously certain foods like garlic, onions, and seafood can give your breath a strong odor. But most chronic bad breath is actually caused by malodorous bacteria in the mouth. This is the same bacteria that you can minimize by brushing and flossing regularly. You can also eliminate oral bacteria by using a mouthwash morning and night. Mouthwash will help you kill the bacteria you missed brushing and flossing, plus most mouthwashes have a pleasant scent to freshen breath beyond brushing and flossing.
Another important thing to do in order to keep fresh smelling breath is to maximize healthy saliva production. If you skip meals, or don’t drink enough water through the day, you may find that your mouth gets very dry. Because saliva naturally neutralizes acid, it’s important to keep your saliva production up by eating and drinking water in order to freshen breath.
These simple at-home tips, when used in conjunction with professional dental cleanings, can make a world of difference in your dental health. Give our Saint Louis dental office a call for more information or to schedule a consultation for a personalized evaluation of your oral health.