General Health Information

Bad breath is caused by odor-producing bacteria that grow in the
mouth. When you don’t brush and floss regularly, bacteria accumulate on
the bits of food left in your mouth and between your teeth. It is the
sulfur compound released by these bacteria that makes your breath smell
so unpleasant. Be aware of the myths about taking care of bad breath. Here they are:

* Mouthwash will make bad breath go away - Mouthwash only gets rid
of bad breath temporarily. If you do use mouthwash, look for one
natural ingredients that will kill the germs that cause bad breath, and
it should also have plaque reducing properties.

* As long as you brush your teeth, you shouldn’t have bad breath -
The truth is that most people only brush their teeth for 30 to 45
seconds, which just doesn’t cut it. To sufficiently clean all the
surfaces of your teeth, you should brush for at least two minutes, at
lease twice daily. Remember to brush your tongue too. On the surface of
the tongue, all the way to the back of the throat, is where a host of
bacteria exist and your tongue needs to be cleaned thoroughly as this
is usually the source of the bad breath. It is equally important to
floss because brushing alone won’t remove harmful plaque and food
particles that become stuck between your teeth and gum.

* If you breathe into your hand, you will know when you have bad
breath - When you breathe, you don’t use your throat the same way as
you do when you talk. When you talk, you tend to bring out the odors
from the back of your mouth (where bad breath originates) and you don’t
do this simply by breathing. Also, because we tend to get used to our
own odor, it is hard for a person to tell if he or she has bad breath.

To treat bad breath, follow these simple steps:

# Brush and floss
# Use an all-natural oral mouthwash
# Use a tongue scraper to remove any white coating as far back as you can.
# Seek regular professional cleaning.
# Drink lots of water.
# Eating sugar-free gum and mint can temporarily help.
# If you brush and floss properly and visit your dentist regularly for
check-ups and your bad breath persists, you may have a medical problem
and your dentist will refer you to your doctor.