Bad Breath Treatments - What Actually Works & What Masks the Symptoms?

Bad breath is a socially debilitating disease. It is described as an unpleasant odor that is noticeable when you open your mouth. When you have foul breath, people tend to shy away from you or cover their noses, which can be embarrassing. Since this condition is caused by so many factors, there are a lot of bad breath treatments on the market nowadays to help you get rid of this problem. But do you know which treatments actually work and which ones only mask the symptoms?

Some bad breath treatments are as common as following oral hygiene. Other treatments include avoiding certain food and drink that may cause a decline in saliva production or produce a noxious odor. Here are some common bad breath treatments as well as an explanation why they work against nasty breath.

1. Brushing your teeth and gargling with water after every meal. This helps remove food particles that get left behind in the mouth, which may decay and produce foul breath.

2. Scrape your tongue. Tongues have millions of tiny hairs that can trap bacteria, which produces a foul odor. When the bacteria are plentiful in the tongue, it gets covered with a white film.

3. Chew sugarless gum to promote saliva flow. As mentioned, saliva is our natural defense against nasty breath as it eliminates bacteria and keeps your mouth hydrated. Dry mouths are breeding grounds for bacteria.

4. Go to your dentist regularly. Dentists can identify problems in the tooth or gum that may be causing bad mouth odor. An example is a tooth filling that has cracked or has been filled wrong - food particles can get trapped here.

5. Avoid breath mints, mouthwashes, or anything that contains alcohol. While these may mask the odor for a period of time, it also dries the mouth faster and provides prime ground for bacteria to grow.

6. Peppermint or tea tree oil can be applied to the mouth directly or applied to the toothbrush. These two refreshes the mouth and has bacterial killing properties.

7. Brushing with baking soda has been a time proven bad breath treatment. This maintains good oral health as well.

8. A not too well known bad breath treatment is eating green, leafy vegetables. Chlorophyll is found in these vegetables, which has been considered a breath freshener.

9. Avoid noxious food like spicy meats, blue or Camembert cheese, and the like. These foods can build up gas in the stomach and may also escape through your mouth. The effect lasts a few hours and may go on for a day.

These are just some bad breath treatments to consider when you find yourself with a case of halitosis. Most of the time, the effects are just temporary. Just keep in mind that oral hygiene is important and make sure to brush your teeth on a daily basis.