The Health Nut Blog

If you have ever tried to give your date a kiss and he or she puts a hand up to protect himself (herself) from your vile breath, you know how that feels. Probably that person did want your kiss, but was put off by your bad breath. What are the ways of fighting this disorder apart from daily brushing and flossing?

Determine The Cause Of Bad Breath First
Instead of just checking out all possible medications and therapies, it is necessary to find out what is the cause of the halitosis. Do keep in mind that particular foods, tobacco, periodontal problems and a dry mouth (xerostomia) can all be causative factors leading to bad breath.

Coffee Can Cause Bad Breath
Lots of people drink coffee which, coupled with morning breath, leads to dehydration, less flow of saliva and all these lead to more bad breath. This does not mean that you have to give up your morning coffee forever. There are some things you can do to get rid of bad breath for good.

Dry Mouth Is Another Main Reason
Talking about dry mouth, do you know that alcohol, too, causes dehydration? That is why you feel thirsty for water after drinking. Alcohol dries up the saliva which fights bacteria which causes bad breath. Because of increased alcohol consumption, chances of halitosis also increase and then your romance goes for a toss. Help your self combat this problem by chewing sugarless gum and don’t forget to drink water. Chewing gum helps increase the flow of saliva.

Proper Oral Hygiene
Daily brushing, tongue cleaning, flossing and a thorough rinsing should be an unavoidable part of your routine. Ideally this should be done after every meal or even every time you have eaten anything. Once again, eating proper foods helps in fighting bad breath. A diet which is rich in fruits and vegetables will help produce acid as also fiber which will prevent bad breath.

When you go to a shop or supermarket and see what is available for oral hygiene you will be surprised and bewildered at the sheer choice of products which are used to combat bad breath. All products are not equally good and, in fact, many over the counter products may not actually kill the bacteria which reside on your tongue.

If the halitosis is a chronic and recurring problem, these products may not do any good at all. Or they may help merely by making your breath a little better for a short time. But mouthwashes which contain zinc chloride can be of great help, as can prescription products, in doing a good job.

A simple remedy is hydrogen peroxide used as a rinse because it adds oxygen and the bacteria do not live in a hostile environment which is what oxygen is for the anaerobic bacteria. Plain water, too, helps in removing debris and food particles which are stuck between the teeth and gums and on the tongue. If you don’t use any of these remedies, then you are leaving yourself open to the bacteria multiplying and causing bad breath.

Your diet has an important role to play in the characteristic of your breath. The typical Western American diet can be an important cause of bad breath, especially if it is high caloric. A low calorie diet will not only help you lose weight, but also give you the added bonus of decreasing the incidence of bad breath.

Often, when you are eating out, especially in fine dining restaurants, the meal will be garnished with parsley which not only looks good, but also has a beneficial effect on your breath. It contains stuff which helps fight bad odor. So the next time don’t disregard the parsley or throw it away, but eat it after your food as a mouth freshener.

For more bad breath tips, visit http://www.BadBreathKiller.com today!

# posted by NeilG @ 4:29 PM