What are the reasons for bad breath and how to get rid of it ?
The sense of smell is hugely underestimated and what many people don’t realize is that it has a massive effect on us when we form subconscious opinions. So no matter what you dress like and no matter how stunning your native looks are, if you don’t smell good, then you might as well wash all the previous goodness down the drain. You can have a good wash and ut on cologne or perfume to make your body and clothes smell good but when it comes to your breath, it’s the inside that counts and makes the difference.
Prevention is better than cure:-
This has always been my rule of thumb in all matters, but particularly the problem of halitosis, because essentially it’s a health issue and good health means good breath, so should be treated as such. Depending on the cause, there are different manners of stopping it before it has started and if you can get at the root cause, it’s the first step towards getting rid of it altogether.
1. The food you eat- 1: Some foods are just naturally smelly, like onions and garlic and if you have an important engagement, then don’t eat them for 48 hours before. However, the medical benefits from these two super-foods are so great, I don’t recommend giving them up altogether – just make sure your nearest and dearest are eating them too and no one will notice.
2. The food you eat- 2: Oranges and orange juice is also blamed for causing bad breath, and although it’s not scientific, anything that has a high acid content can turn your stomach and blood into an over-acidic environment and this can cause acid-reflux, which itself leads to breath that smells. Blood should not be acidic and there are many ways of solving that, but if you don’t want to take medication, try apple cider vinegar (one tablespoon a day) and apple juice if you feel the acid rising. This may sound odd, but it really works.
3. What you drink: Coffee and alcohol give you an odor on your breath for a couple of reasons. First of all they are toxins and the body secretes enzymes to fight them which are pungent, giving you an unpleasant aroma. Also, they dehydrate you and also your mouth, depriving it of healthy saliva and allowing offending bacteria to grow. So, if you’re really serious about this (and your general health) you’ll give them both up. If not, drink lots of water afterwards and get some exercise to get your blood running faster and the bad chemicals out of your body.
4. Poor dental care: It’s obvious but has to be mentioned. Brush your teeth twice a day, floss and wash your tongue (with your toothbrush) and if you still get a pong, try chewing sugar-free gum (particularly that which is sweetened by xylitol) vigorously for ten minutes after you eat and brush. That should do the trick.
5. Health problems: There may be an underlying health issue if you can’t get rid of your bad breath, so have a medical check-up. Diabetes, lung problems, acid reflux and liver disease can all cause a stink on the breath and maybe it will prove to be a good warning to sort out the rest of your body!
6. Gum disease: This is related to dental care, but not always and can be due to the need for some lacking vitamins and minerals. Take a supplement, focusing mainly on Vitamin C.
7. Cure: Finally, if it’s an emergency and you have no time to prevent before a cure, then another brush, some mouthwash that’s labeled clearly as an antiseptic one, chewing sugar-free gum and some oral sprays you can find in the pharmacy should do the trick in a temporary manner, which will give you some breathing space (!!) to look into a way of preventing it and getting rid of stinky breath permanently.
