When it comes to your dental health, much of what may seem inevitable is actually directly under your control. For instance, even though cavities affect over 90% of adults, they are highly-preventable with good hygiene and dental care. Likewise, persistent bad breath is often the result of something you do, or don’t do, that could have been prevented otherwise. Even so, once it develops, you may need to seek professional attention to determine the possible causes of your bad breath, and recommend treatment, if necessary.
When Bad Breath is Your Doing
The easiest way to avoid bad breath is to avoid eating anything especially pungent, like garlic, onions, and fish. Unfortunately, food is only small portion of the causes of bad breath, which more-frequently occurs due to poor hygiene practices. If you don’t brush and floss often enough, or visit your dentist regularly, then food debris and bacteria-rich plaque can accumulate in force. As the food deteriorates and the bacteria grow, the smells that both can give off will increasingly taint your breath.
Prevent the Causes of Bad Breath
Though the general rule is to brush your teeth twice a day and floss at least once, you may have more than usual to contend with if your breath is already bad, or close to it. Instead, brush your teeth when you wake up, after every meal whenever possible (wait 30 minutes after eating), and again before going to bed. The more often you brush and floss, the more effectively you can remove foul-smelling food particles and bacteria. In addition to visiting your dentist for checkups and cleanings as often as possible, you can also mitigate bad breath by;
- Drinking water and refraining from sugary, acidic, and carbonated drinks
- Setting a snack and meal schedule that makes it easier to brush afterwards
- Rinsing your mouth with mouthwash after each brushing
- And by not forgetting to floss!
ABOUT YOUR SHREWSBURY DENTISTS:
At Modern Dentistry, Todd A. Pizzi, DDS, and Luciana Messina, DDS, are dedicated to providing high-quality cosmetic, restorative, and preventive dentistry services to patients and families in Shrewsbury, Worcester, North and South Grafton, Westborough, Southborough, Northborough, Boylston, Hopkinton, Millbury, and all surrounding communities. To schedule your next appointment, contact our office by calling (508) 842-6356 today.
