Hey Everyone!

Hope you’re all doing well!

I think its safe to assume that no one wants to have bad breath but sometimes it can happen to anyone. In fact, according to Prevention magazine 50 percent of people suffer from bad breath at one point or another.

If you’re worried that your breath is not as fresh as you’d like, lick the back of your hand, then smell that hand. If it smells bad then you know that the odor is likely coming from your mouth. An alternative would be to fill a cup with water and then blow onto the water and then check to see if there is an odor.

Prevention:

There are many things that you can do to prevent bad breath from occurring in the first place.

• Obviously, having good oral hygiene can go a long way in preventing bad breath. Make sure to follow the common advice of brushing your teeth twice a day and flossing once a day.
• The buildup of sulfur on the tongue can cause bad breath so make sure to brush your tongue as well. In fact, a study showed that brushing the tongue reduced sulfur compounds by a third.
• Brushing twice a day is a must but every time you eat a snack or a meal try to go rinse your mouth to quickly remove most of the food particles.
• If you know you will be having close face to face interactions, try to avoid eating onions, garlic, and anything with sugar. The problem with sweet treats is that they increase the bacteria that causes bad breath.

Home Remedies:

If you do suffer from bad breath there are a few simple things that you can do at home to eliminate the odor.

• Make sure to sip water throughout the day. A dry mouth is a breeding ground for the bacteria that causes bad breath.
• Most dentists recommend renewing your toothbrush every three months because consistent use may cause the bristles to become less effective at removing food residue and bacteria from the teeth. I know this is pretty obvious but don’t share your toothbrush with anyone because this can lead to a host of other dental problems.
• An alternative to the toothbrush is the miswak. The miswak is basically like an all-natural toothbrush that you can use without toothpaste. The miswak is a twig that is extracted from the roots and barks of the Salvadora Persica or Arak tree. Thanks to its nutrients, such as, fluorine, Vitamin C, Potassium, Sodium, etc. and its antibacterial properties the miswak can maintain and/or improve oral health. You don’t have to give up on the traditional toothbrush but consider using the miswak as a complimentary method of oral hygiene. This video does a great job of teaching you how to prepare the miswak twig as a toothbrush.

Medical Causes and Options:

If you’ve tried some of the above tips and you still suffer from this problem here are a few additional tips:

• If you take any sort of prescription medication read the pamphlet of information that comes with the medication to see if bad breath is a side effect of a medication. Consider visiting your doctor to evaluate your options.
• Try to visit a dentist at least once a year (ideally twice a year) for a dental cleaning. Even if you have good oral hygiene the dentist can help remove some of the more stubborn residue that you may not be able to see. The dentist can check your oral health and let you know of any possible problems that you may not have been aware of.

I hope you find these tips helpful.

With Love,

Yasmin