Fresh Breath Therapy
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.
So why don’t these bad breath products work? Because they only mask bad breath, instead of treating it.
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.
Illness: 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.
How to Tell If You Have Bad Breath
Most people are not aware they have bad breath. (Because surely, if they could smell what other people smell, they would do something about it right?) The reason for this is simple; we become immune to our own smells and become unaware of how bad it may be. The easiest way to find out if you have bad breath, is to ask someone you trust. If you are not comfortable with that, here are some breath tests.
The Tongue Test: Stick out your tongue in the mirror and look at it. Is there a white coating on it? That gunk is stinky bacteria….bacteria people can smell when you talk. Many do not believe, how stinky the tongue can be. Invert a spoon and firmly scrape it down your tongue, back and front. Let the sludge sit on the spoon for a minute, then smell it. This is the odor coming from your mouth.
The Floss Test: Get in between your back teeth with a piece of dental floss. Then smell it. Multiply that icky odor by all the teeth in your mouth. Now it is easy to see why flossing is so important for fresh breath.
The Lick Test: Lick the inside of your wrist and let the saliva dry. Then smell where you licked for an idea of how fresh (or not) your breath may be to others.
5 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 from 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 known to improve your health, boosting energy and fighting illnesses.
3. Steer Clear of Store-Brand Mouthwashes: Oh, the irony! Store brand mouthwashes promise to get rid of bad breath. Instead they make the problem worse. The alcohol in these mouthwashes (often as high as 26.9%) kill bacteria, but in the process, the alcohol dries out the mouth creating MORE BACTERIA. In addition to the unpleasant sting and burn, many mouthwashes contain dyes that stain the teeth.
4. 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.
5. Get the Ultimate Bad Breath Solution: Oxyfresh. For over 30 years Oxyfresh has been the go-to solution for thousands of bad breath sufferers. Their line of mouthwashes, toothpaste and tongue scrapers are USA made. Please ask us about these products, you will be glad you did.
What makes Oxyfresh different than store brands? Rather than masking odors artificially, Oxyfresh gets rid of bad breath. You will never find alcohol, dyes, saccharin or harsh chemicals in these products, only the good stuff.
Get the Ultimate Bad Breath Solution: (Fresh Breath) Call Alana or Jennifer for more details (504) 831-6900.
