I’ll let you in on a little secret: we all suffer from bad breath from time to time. But when your bad breath becomes a common occurrence, it’s likely something more serious (and, let’s face it, unpleasant) that we call halitosis. If you’ve got a chronic bad smell coming from your mouth, it’s past time to do something about it. Listen up to these five tips from your dentist in 76712 and beat that bad breath today!
Killing Chronic Bad Breath in Five Simple Steps
The most important step to beating your halitosis is identifying its cause. If any of these are at the root of your bad breath, read on to learn what to do for each.
Kick the Habit
As if you needed another reason to stop smoking, tobacco use is at the top of the halitosis list. Maybe it’s not the only thing causing your bad breath, but tobacco in any form is a guaranteed breath killer. If you’re ready to stop but need some help, Dr. Cofer can help.
Watch What You Eat
It’s no surprise that garlic causes bad breath — but you may not realize how long it can affect your mouth odor. The odorous chemicals remain in your body and are emitted through your mouth until they’re fully digested, so there’s no quick fix once garlic, onions and other smelly foods are consumed.
Stay Fully Hydrated
When your mouth is dry, you don’t have enough saliva to wash away the bacteria and particles that cause bad breath. If you need help staying hydrated throughout the day, toss a reusable water bottle in your bag as a reminder to drink water — and also be aware that some medications can cause dry mouth.
Check Up On Your Oral Health
Of course, if your oral health isn’t as excellent as it should be, you may have infections or other problems that are causing your chronic bad breath. Gum disease, for example, is largely caused by poor oral hygiene habits and is a major cause of bad breath.
And Make Sure Your Overall Health is In Check, Too
Infections that are elsewhere in the body — like in your sinuses or respiratory tract — can also really affect the odor of your breath. If you’ve visited the dentist and are sure your halitosis isn’t caused by any dental issue, schedule a visit with your doctor to help you get to the root of your odor problem.
Schedule Your Dental Appointment in Waco Today
If you’re suffering from the damaging effects of halitosis, don’t let that odor affect your social or work life any longer. Call us to schedule your appointment at Premier Family Dental today. We’re also proud to serve our neighbors in Lorena, Robinson and the surrounding communities.