Fresh Breath Tips from a Grand Junction Dentist

There’s nothing like the feeling of fresh breath. Not only will it help you make a good first impression, but it also helps your smile stay bright and healthy. However, achieving fresh breath is not easy for some. Consider following these fresh breath tips from a Grand Junction dentist. For dental care in Grand Junction, CO, contact High Desert Dental. 

Mouthwash

This may seem like an obvious one, but just in case you didn’t know, mouthwash is super helpful in containing bad breath. Morning breath is caused by bacteria in your mouth. With mouthwash, the bacteria decreases. Thanks to its liquid form, the mouthwash can easily get into all the cracks and crevices of your mouth. 

Chlorhexidine is an active ingredient in many antibacterial mouthwashes. However, alcohol is used as an antimicrobial agent in some antibacterial rinses. Alcohol-based mouthwashes are often avoided because they can dry out the mouth’s tissues. The odors of your mouth can quickly resurface if you don’t have enough saliva to rinse away oral bacteria during the day. As a result, it’s usually best to use alcohol-free antibacterial rinses.

Simply add the mouthwash to the end of your morning and evening brushing and flossing routines to ensure daily use. Dr. Josh recommends using a mouthwash that is FDA approved.

Rinse With Water

If you’re a snacker or tend to eat more than six meals a day, we suggest rinsing with water. Most of us do not carry a spare toothbrush around, so if you can’t brush your teeth, rinse! This will help get any excess food that might be causing bad breath. This will also help improve oral health.

Chew Gum

A go-to for many people suffering from bad breath is gum. Chewing sugar-free gum will help freshen your breath in the meantime. Our favorite gums include cinnamon or xylitol. Why? Cinnamaldehydes, which are found in cinnamon, have antibacterial properties. Xylitol, a natural sweetener noted for its antibacterial properties, is often used to improve the flavor of sugarless gum. When you chew, xylitol gum can help reduce the amount of odor-causing bacteria in your mouth. Additionally, chewing gum will help with fresh breath, produce more saliva, and get rid of excess debris.

Quit Smoking

Those who suffer from bad breath and need help finding the source should reflect on their daily habits. Smoking is a habit that can be detrimental to your oral health. Tobacco contains nicotine, which can constrict your mouth’s blood vessels and reduce the amount of saliva generated. Our friend, Dr. Moghadam, a dentist in Easton, PA, explains that these side effects can trigger the bad breath that smokers are notorious for. Furthermore, when a person stops smoking, blood flow and saliva production should return to normal. 

Hydrate

Bad breath can also be triggered due to a lack of saliva. If your mouth doesn’t naturally produce enough saliva, consider drinking more water. This will help with providing more efficient saliva production, not to mention that your body needs water to function. Anyone dealing with oral health problems should drink more water.

Stick to Your Oral Hygiene

Poor oral hygiene will result in bad breath. To ensure that your mouth is happy and clean, brush at least twice a day for two minutes and floss daily. Plaque buildup will allow bacteria to flourish. Furthermore, it will lead to tooth decay, gum disease, and even tooth loss. Don’t put off your oral health any longer! 

Tongue Scraper

Oral bacteria that are anaerobic are commonly found on the tongue. Since these bacteria are major causes of bad breath, regularly scraping the tongue can be a key step in preventing bad breath. A tongue scraper extracts bacteria, their byproducts, and plaque as it glides over the surface of your tongue.

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