It’s the Month for Love | Top Tips for Fresh Breath with Your Valentine

Posted on January 28, 2022 in Healthy Living

Do you ever feel wonder if you have bad breath? Do you wonder if others are noticing your oral health? With valentine’s day right around the corner, the last thing you want to be is worried about bad breath while out on a hot date. Thankfully, we are here to provide you with a few simple tips to get fresh breath and keep your breath fresh throughout the night!

First, let’s take a look into the handful of factors that contribute to bad breath:

• Bacteria: hundreds of types of bad breath causing bacteria can form in your mouth at any time. Your mouth also acts like a natural greenhouse, trapping bacteria and allowing them to grow.
• Gum Disease: Bad breath that won’t go away or an endless bad taste in your mouth can be an early warning sign of gum disease. 
• Medical Conditions: Mouth infections can cause bad breath, as well as sinus conditions, gastric reflux, diabetes, liver or kidney disease. We recommend giving your dentist a list of medications you are taking, to help determine what could be causing bad breath. Click here to find a dentist near you!
• Dry Mouth and Saliva: Saliva is essential because it helps wash away food particles from your mouth. So, people with a dry mouth are at an increased risk of experiencing bad breath. 

Now let’s take a look into a couple of foods and other products that are notorious for causing bad breath:

• Foods: Garlic, onions, coffee, cheese, fish, and more can leave your breath smelling rank hours after you’ve eaten. There are many others, so keep in mind that what you eat directly affects the breath that you exhale.
• Smoking and Tobacco: Smoking stains your teeth and gives you bad breath. Smoking isn’t the only form of tobacco that can damage your oral health and cause bad breath either. Remember that tobacco products tend to dry out the mouth, making bad breath even worse.

Now we’ll dive into some methods on how to get fresh breath:

• Brushing and flossing: Don’t forget to properly brush and floss your teeth twice a day. This consistent routine helps maintain your oral hygiene and prevent stinky breath.
• Mouthwash: Mouthwash temporarily kills bacteria, but it is only a mask for a clean mouth. Thus, brushing and flossing your teeth is the most effective method for bad breath prevention. Then, follow with mouthwash for extra long-lasting freshness. 
• Visit your dentist regularly: Catching an oral health problem early on is the best method to prevent serious dental damage, so it is important to see your dentist. Typically it is recommended to visit your dentist twice a year (every six months), but depending on what your dentist advises, your number of dental visits may vary.

If you remember to keep your daily oral health routine in check, you won’t have to worry about if your valentine thinks you have bad breath. Step into Valentine’s Day with he confidence of a strong oral health routine. Keep in mind what causes bad breath and how to prevent it so you can focus on your date instead of your breath. 

Maintain fresh breath by scheduling a dentist appointment today!

For more oral health tips, check out:

• The Love Connection Between Heart and Oral Health