Halitosis (Bad Breath)

Bad breath (halitosis) is not a condition to take lightly. It can affect your confidence, your intimacy and your ability to connect with others.

If you are like the other 80 million Americans suffering from halitosis, you have probably tried everything to cure it, mints, different flavored gums, and many types of these burning, store-brand mouthwashes.

Some Causes of Bad Breath:
Dry Mouth: Saliva is the body’s natural defense against odor-causing bacteria. When saliva is in short supply bacteria can grow and multiply. There are many things that can cause dry mouth: dehydration, smoking, stress, alcohol-based mouthwashes and over 400 medications.

Poor Oral Hygiene: No surprise here: when you don’t brush twice daily, floss once a day, and visit the dentist regularly (to have your teeth cleaned), you are inviting plaque and bacteria. These micro-organisms start overtaking your mouth….and your breath very quickly.

Certain Food & Drinks: You already know the “big 3” of bad breath: coffee, garlic and onions. But did you know? Food and drink that have a drying effect on the mouth (like vinegar and alcohol) or high-fructose foods (like sugary cereal) can kick bacteria growth into overdrive.
Nasal drip from sinus infections and colds can give the breath a “mothball-like” smell. Diabetes can give the breath a rotten fruit smell. Tonsil stones may give the breath an aroma of dirty diapers.

Easy Bad Breath Remedies:
1. Clean Your Tongue: You have heard of brushing your tongue. But did you know? There are specially designed tools called scrapers that remove 75% more odor-causing bacteria vs. brushing. Tongue cleaning is one of the simplest habits to reduce bad breath.
2. Pay Attention to Your Diet: What are the best foods for fresh breath? Reach for dark green and orange veggies, they are good for you, plus their fibrous crunch helps to remove leftover food particles between your teeth. Fruits rich in vitamin C are also great for the breath because they create an unfriendly environment for bacteria to grow. You can also chew on herbs like parsley, basil or cilantro. These herbs are packed with chlorophyll, a natural deodorizer. There are many other health benefits of chlorophyll. Chlorophyll has been know to improve your health, boosting energy and fighting illnesses.
3. Drink more water: We all know that water is good for us. Yet, according to a report by CBS, up to 75% of Americans are dehydrated. Water is needed to prevent dry mouth, a leading cause of bad breath. Sneak more water consumption into your routine each day.