Bad breath is everyone’s no no! . Bad breath or Halitosis can be momentary- like when you eat raw garlic or an ongoing lifestyle issue.

Bad breath can be caused by food, poor oral hygiene, diseases, cavities, medications and infections. Symptoms of halitosis include dry mouth, coatings on the tongue ( white or coloured), unpleasant odour and taste in the mouth. So what to do? Live with it and say goodbye to your self-confidence? Certainly not or tackle the problem at its root? I’d say a big YES to that. Then follow these eight easy steps to get your fresh breath back.

# 1: YOUR DRINKING HABITS
Drinks of different kinds register their presence in your oral chambers as you down them. Tea, wines, beers, milk, juices, hot chocolate, soda all leave their mark in your mouth either by way of deposits on your teeth, aftertaste, temperature and or colour stains on your teeth and gums.

These deposits sit on your teeth and provide food for the natural bacteria flora in your mouth to thrive. These bacteria digest the trace amounts of these liquids, give off their own waste products and creating odours which can be unpleasant.

# 2: YOUR TOOTHBRUSH
Surprised? Don’t be. Your toothbrush contributes to your Halitosis dilemma when it’s not being used properly. According to Web MD, a weak toothbrush or improper brushing habits and style could easily lead to foul breath. Dentist recommend that toothbrushes be replaced every 3 months hoping your brush bristles haven’t bent to an angle reminiscent of grandma’s chewing stick!

# 3: DRY MOUTH
A thirsty or dry mouth is most likely to smell since there is insufficient saliva to wash away food particles, neutralize the acid from dental plaques and moisten the mouth. Dry mouth has a variety of causes including medication, mouth breathing, disease.

# 4: FOODS
Sulfur-rich foods like beans, onions, garlic ordinarily have their own smell which one may or may not find pleasant. Bacteria flora in the mouth feeds on the food particles, digesting it and producing foul-smelling byproducts further worsening the condition.

Food particles easily get stuck between your teeth and you may not feel their presence. These particles when not removed begins to rot, creating a potpourri of smells which can be unpleasant further compounding your oral odour woes. And if you’re fasting, be prepared for mouth odour as the body breaks down fats in the process releasing ketones which can be smelled as you speak

# 5: YOUR TONGUE
Your tongue apart from being our taste platform gets to first meet every food, drink, medication and any other stuff that we put into our mouth and so houses its own share of bacteria, fungi and their toxins ! Being towel like the tongue easily collect minute food particles. Use your toothbrush to gently clean your tongue as a quick fix but a better option is to use a tongue cleaner(scraper). A Tongue scraper is ideal for tongue cleaning as they are designed to help remove food particles, dead tongue cells and their biofilm that brushing alone cannot take care of.

# 6: SMOKING
Smoking, a dangerous habit, not only sours your breath but also stains your teeth, damages your gums and can lead to dental diseases including cancer. Smoking of cigars, cigarette, smokeless cigarette, pipe smoking all has the same effect. In addition to drying your mouth, deposits of grits and sand from smokeless and chewing tobacco wear down your teeth creating an enabling environment for cavities, malodors and weakened enamel.

#7: LATE NIGHT SNACKS
Chomping your way through a bag of chips, ground nuts, fried meat or biscuits feels delicious and comforting but the truth is that such actions only provide you with more oral issues to manage especially if you fail to brush afterwards. Food particles not easily washed away by fluid intake will only provide fuel for resident bacteria flora to multiply giving rise to sour breath.

#8: DISEASES
Bad breath can also be caused by a variety of diseases of the mouth. Visit your Dentist if you notice sore gums, swollen tongues, plaque, cavities or pains in the mouth. Disease of the mouth and gums are known to engender persistent bad breath.

Constipation especially chronic constipation can contribute to bad breath. Undigested food accumulating in the bowels over time begins to decompose generating foul gas which if not passed out anally goes out through the mouth as bad breath when you burp or speak.