One of your greatest fears is to be engaged in a conversation with a person only to offend him or her with your bad breath. There isn’t much else more embarrassing, so you’d like to avoid this situation at all costs. To calm your worries and better prevent it from happening, your dentist in Lincoln provides 5 expert tips to help in your quest for fresh breath.
Tip #1 – Step-up Your Oral Hygiene
One of the prime contributors to bad breath is bacteria growth. While they are always present in your mouth, they multiply when there are leftover food particles for them to feed on.
If allowed to linger, bacteria can produce some foul odors. However, when you commit to brushing and flossing after each meal, you can limit their reproduction and maintain pleasant breath.
Tip #2 – Don’t Forget About Your Tongue
It’s also important not to forget about your tongue. Its upper surface is covered by tiny bumps called papillae that can trap bacteria between them. A simple way to clean this area is to gently glide your toothbrush over it.
For a more targeted approach, though, you can use a tongue scraper, which lightly agitates the papillae to dislodge any lingering debris and bacteria so they can be rinsed away.
Tip #3 – Drink More Water
Bacteria prefer a warm, dry environment to grow in, which explains why everyone has “morning breath” after their mouth has been partially shut for most of the night. To combat this, make a habit of drinking more water.
It helps in two ways:
- Drinking more water helps to flush debris from the mouth.
- Then, by keeping the mouth better hydrated, it becomes harder for bacteria to survive.
Tip #4 – Monitor Your Food Intake
Another way to overcome bad breath is to pay close attention to what you eat. Foods like onions, garlic, dairy products and tuna are notorious for causing bad breath. Therefore, if you consume any of them, you should be sure to perform oral hygiene afterwards.
Tip #5 – Visit Your Dentist
One of the many perks of maintaining regular visits with your dentist for preventive care is that your teeth will be cleaned, and you’ll receive a thorough examination. The teeth-cleaning is vital for maintaining fresh breath because it removes any built-up plaque and tartar.
Then, if there are any issues developing like acute bacteria growth, a plan of action can be formulated to restore your oral health and ensure you have fresh breath.
Your path to more favorable interactions and increased confidence starts with reaching out to schedule a preventive care visit today!
About the Author
Dr. Louis Olberding has been providing top-notch dental care for over 15 years. Still, the University of Nebraska Medical Center College of Dentistry graduate remains as passionate about his patients’ oral health as he was when he first entered the dental field. Dr. Olberding tackles bad breath through preventive dentistry at Olberding Dental, and he can be reached for more information through his website.