1, Mouth rinses and toothpastes.
If your bad breath is due to a build up of bacteria (plaque) on your teeth, an antibacterial mouthrinse is recommended. Toothpaste that contains antibacterial agent is recommended too.
- Brush your teeth after you eat.
Keep a toothbrush at work to use after eating. Brush using a fluoridated toothpaste at least twice a day.
- Floss at least once a day.
Proper flossing removes food particles and plaque from between your teeth, removes bacteria and reduce bad breath.
- Brush your tongue.
Your tongue has a lot of bacteria, so carefully brushing with toothbrush may reduce odors. People who have significant overgrowth of bacteria (from smoking or dry mouth, for example) on the tongue may benefit from using a tongue scraper. Or use a toothbrush that has a built-in tongue cleaner.
- Avoid dry mouth.
To keep your mouth moist, avoid smoking and drink plenty of water, not coffee, soft drinks or alcohol, which can lead to a drier mouth. Sugarless chewing gum can be used to stimulate saliva production. For severe cases of dry mouth, artificial saliva might be needed.
- Scaling and treat gum disease
Accumulation of tartar can cause bad breath due to accumulation of bacteria. Removal of tartar through scaling is very effective in reducing bad breath. If tartar accumulation is severe causing gum disease, then appropriate gum treatment is needed. Gum disease can cause gums to pull away from your teeth, leaving deep pockets around your teeth which requires professional treatment.
- Clean dentures or dental appliances.
If you wear a denture, clean it thoroughly at least once a day. Brush the denture surfaces with toothbrush and soap. If you have a dental retainer or mouth guard, clean it each time you remove and before you put it in your mouth.
- Avoid dry mouth.
To keep your mouth moist, avoid smoking and drink plenty of water, not coffee, soft drinks or alcohol, which can lead to a drier mouth. Sugarless chewing gum can be used to stimulate saliva production. For severe cases of dry mouth, artificial saliva might be needed.
- Schedule regular dental checkups.
See your dentist on a regular basis — generally twice a year — to have your teeth or dentures examined and cleaned. Bacteria accumulation is the cause of dry mouth. Therefore removal of bacteria with scaling, treatment of gum diseases and treatment of teeth decay will reduce bad breath significantly.
These are some of the steps you can take to have a stronger and healthier tooth. After all, we all want to make sure we are problem free and we can enjoy our life and food for many years. In Smileway Dental Clinic USJ and Smileway Dental Clinic Setapak we take care of your smile because we believe in “Creating Smiles That Matters” in your life. Take care everyone.
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