How to Get Rid of Bad Breath

Brush your teeth regularly., Clean your tongue., Floss every day., Use mouthwash.

4 Steps 3 min read Medium

Step-by-Step Guide

  1. Step 1: Brush your teeth regularly.

    Two major sources of mouth odor are bacteria and decaying food particles.

    There are hundreds of nooks and crannies in the fertile landscape of your mouth where these offending bits of "rot" can get lodged.

    Squeeze a pea-sized amount of toothpaste onto a soft bristled toothbrush, and hold the brush at a 45 degree angle to the gums.

    Brush your teeth on every surface in short, gentle strokes, being careful not to press too hard or irritate the gums.

    If done properly, brushing should take about three minutes.

    Brush your teeth and rinse with mouth wash at least twice a day, and floss at least once a day.

    Take care to brush all the areas of your mouth, including gums and tongue, and not just your teeth.
  2. Step 2: Clean your tongue.

    It is not enough to simply brush your teeth.

    Since your tongue has a lot of surface area and is covered with textured bumps and grooves, it harbors more bacteria than the rest of your mouth combined.

    Removing the bacteria on your tongue can go a long way in reducing your bad breath.You can buy Orabrush or other tongue brushes from stores, or simply use your regular soft bristled toothbrush.

    Brush your tongue from back to front, rinsing the brush between strokes.

    If you have a sensitive gag reflex, tongue-brushing may aggravate the problem.

    Read How to Suppress the Gag Reflex for some tips. , Flossing your teeth is just as important to good oral health as brushing, and even more important for reducing bad breath.

    Make it as much of a mindless habit as brushing your teeth.

    At first, your gums might bleed as you dislodge chunks of food that have "stuck" to your teeth and gum for who knows how long.

    But take a second to smell the floss after you pass it through your teeth, if you dare.

    You'll see (or smell) where the bad breath is coming from. , Mouthwash helps to keep your mouth moist and helps to prevent bad breath.

    Choose a mouth wash containing chlorine dioxide.

    Many of the bacteria that cause halitosis live on the back of the tongue, too far back to remove with regular brushing or scraping.

    Luckily, vigorous swishing with a chlorine dioxide-containing wash can neutralize those bacteria.Try rinsing with mouth wash before brushing, flossing, and brushing or scraping the tongue, and again when you're done.

    This will ensure that you neutralize any bacteria that remain after the process is complete.
  3. Step 3: Floss every day.

  4. Step 4: Use mouthwash.

Detailed Guide

Two major sources of mouth odor are bacteria and decaying food particles.

There are hundreds of nooks and crannies in the fertile landscape of your mouth where these offending bits of "rot" can get lodged.

Squeeze a pea-sized amount of toothpaste onto a soft bristled toothbrush, and hold the brush at a 45 degree angle to the gums.

Brush your teeth on every surface in short, gentle strokes, being careful not to press too hard or irritate the gums.

If done properly, brushing should take about three minutes.

Brush your teeth and rinse with mouth wash at least twice a day, and floss at least once a day.

Take care to brush all the areas of your mouth, including gums and tongue, and not just your teeth.

It is not enough to simply brush your teeth.

Since your tongue has a lot of surface area and is covered with textured bumps and grooves, it harbors more bacteria than the rest of your mouth combined.

Removing the bacteria on your tongue can go a long way in reducing your bad breath.You can buy Orabrush or other tongue brushes from stores, or simply use your regular soft bristled toothbrush.

Brush your tongue from back to front, rinsing the brush between strokes.

If you have a sensitive gag reflex, tongue-brushing may aggravate the problem.

Read How to Suppress the Gag Reflex for some tips. , Flossing your teeth is just as important to good oral health as brushing, and even more important for reducing bad breath.

Make it as much of a mindless habit as brushing your teeth.

At first, your gums might bleed as you dislodge chunks of food that have "stuck" to your teeth and gum for who knows how long.

But take a second to smell the floss after you pass it through your teeth, if you dare.

You'll see (or smell) where the bad breath is coming from. , Mouthwash helps to keep your mouth moist and helps to prevent bad breath.

Choose a mouth wash containing chlorine dioxide.

Many of the bacteria that cause halitosis live on the back of the tongue, too far back to remove with regular brushing or scraping.

Luckily, vigorous swishing with a chlorine dioxide-containing wash can neutralize those bacteria.Try rinsing with mouth wash before brushing, flossing, and brushing or scraping the tongue, and again when you're done.

This will ensure that you neutralize any bacteria that remain after the process is complete.

About the Author

J

Jean Collins

A passionate writer with expertise in creative arts topics. Loves sharing practical knowledge.

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