How often do you have to deal with bad breath? As you know, having bad breath—regardless of how often you have it—can be an embarrassing experience. However, did you know that bad breath is typically caused by bacteria or by food particles in your mouth? While removing bacteria may be your best answer, there are a few things other options you can consider to attain immediate relief.
While you may think of using a breath mint first, please note that this may not be your best option. You see, most breath mints are high in sugar and, while sugar doesn’t actually hurt your teeth or your gums, it can feed the bacteria that leads to bad breath. Instead of breath mints, you may want to consider sugar-free gum.
Please don’t misunderstand, gum itself can’t remove bad bacteria. Still, while the flavors of breath mints and gum can mask bad breath for some time, there are other options that can help. For instance, if you chew on crisp fruits and vegetables, you’ll promote saliva flow, which can remove food particles from your breath.
Similarly, just like there are foods that can hurt your breath, there are also foods that can help it. For instance, did you know that eating cheese, unsweetened yogurt, or other dairy products can help you negate acids? You see, while bacteria can be a cause of bad breath, acids can as well. Luckily, these foods can negate the acids in your mouth. Similarly, simply drinking water can be enough to wash away acid and carry away food particles.
However, please remember that the best thing you can do to prevent bad breath is keeping up your oral hygiene. If you’re worried about bad breath, please don’t hesitate to contact Lewis Family Dentistry at 910.488.0518. Dr. Kenneth Lewis and our team look forward to hearing from you soon.