Look, bad breath isn’t just for the people who aren’t so great at keeping up with their personal hygiene, it can occur for a lot of reasons. And if you’ve ever had it before, the potential is there to have it again. Spoiler alert…women don’t like it, trying to kiss someone with bad breath is like licking an old chip bag that’s been sitting in a hot car.
If you suspect that your breath might be kicking, (and your friends are failing to mention so), there is actually a way to test it. You can get all scientific with a breath meter or you can wipe a piece of gauze on your tongue and then smell it for sulfides. You can also smell your used floss, or lick your hand and wait for it to dry and then give it a whiff. Ugh. Here are some ways to help you get rid of bad breath once and for all.
Floss and Brush After Every Meal
How annoying is hygiene, no one likes flossing. But seriously if you’ve got an issue with bad breath you need to make sure that you’re getting those food particles out of your mouth after every meal, otherwise they are going to sit in there and be snacked on by bacteria that is only going to lead to more bad breath.
Another option is to keep a bottle of mouthwash at your desk and swish like crazy after your lunch break. You should also be scraping your tongue, but be sure and do that in private because it looks weird.
Clean Up Your Diet
Similarly to how eating an apple is a superior choice to eating a slice of cake as far as your fat cells go, eating an apple is also a superior choice to eating a slice of cake for your breath. The more clean and natural your diet is the healthier your mouth will be.
Apples, (which are a great example in this case), not only provide you with antioxidants that can help to keep your gums in tip top shape, but they actually do a pretty good job at cleaning your teeth. So much so, that if you cant find a toothbrush after a meal snacking on an apple might be good enough in the meantime.
Eat Some Carbs
If you’re one of those people following an extreme carb-free diet, you might be unknowingly creating terrible dragon breath for yourself. When people stop eating carbs they start releasing ketones, which are basically chemicals that smell real nasty. And they come right out of your mouth. Again…maybe go for an apple?
Drink Water
Another sneaky cause of bad breath is not drinking enough water. When you’re dehydrated things can start to get ugly. Plus, swishing water around in your mouth is the best possible option for post meal clean up when you don’t have your handy mouthwash nearby. The goal is to get the junk out from between your teeth. Grab a toothpick if you must.
Go to the Doctor
If you absolutely cannot figure out what’s causing your bad breath just head to the doctor. Bad breath can also be caused by medications, tooth infections, and even sinus infections. Better safe than stinky.