Avoiding Bad Breath

Struggling with bad breath can negatively affect your self confidence and can be an indication of a serious problem with your oral health. Before you reach for a stick of gum or a breath mint, you may want to consider getting scheduled with your dentist to determine the cause of the problem. Here’s some tips for avoiding bad breath and ensuring that your mouth is as healthy as possible.

Oral Hygiene

In most cases, bad breath is caused by a significant amount of bacteria or food caught in the teeth. Practicing proper oral hygiene care at home is one of the best precautionary steps you can take against bad breath.

Ensure that you are thoroughly brushing your teeth with a fluoride toothpaste at least twice a day, and make a point to floss between your teeth after brushing, or if possible, after each time you eat. This will help keep the surfaces of the teeth clean and free of bacteria-filled plaque or tartar. It will also ensure that no food particles are allowed to remain trapped between the teeth.

It is also important to ensure that you are attending your regularly-scheduled hygiene appointments; it is during this time that your hygienist will thoroughly clean all surfaces of the teeth, reaching the spaces in the mouth that may be hard for you to reach yourself.

Prescription Medications

In some cases, individuals who take prescription medications to help manage a health condition may experience dry mouth or bad breath as a side effect. Speak with both your dentist and general doctor to determine if this is the case for you, and what can be done to correct the issue. In some cases, your dentist will prescribe you a medicated mouth rinse to help combat dry mouth, or your doctor may work with you to find a medication for your medical condition that does not cause you to experience bad breath.

Bad breath can be troublesome, but with proper home care and with the help of your trusted dentist, it can be properly managed. Here at Palm Tree Dental, we are here to help you maintain a happy and healthy mouth. To get scheduled in our Ingleside, Tx dental office, give us a call.