Fresh breath is so important – not just to maintain good oral hygiene, but also to boost our confidence. If the roadmap out of the COVID-19 pandemic in the UK goes as planned, then we hope to be getting back to our social lives this summer, and perhaps even saying goodbye to social distancing. We’ll keep everything crossed!
If a return to normality is on the horizon, we’ll definitely need minty fresh breath for any close contact! With this in mind, we’ve put together ten tips to help you say goodbye to bad breath for good.
1 – Brush your teeth and gums for at least two minutes, at least twice a day with a fluoride toothpaste. We recommend using an electric toothbrush for more effective, thorough brushing in those hard-to-reach areas!
2 – Replace your toothbrush every three to four months to keep it working at its best.
3 – Brush your tongue when you brush your teeth. The majority of bacteria forms on the back of the tongue, so it needs a regular clean. Some toothbrushes have a built-in tongue cleaner especially for this purpose. If yours doesn’t, use a separate toothbrush or a tongue scraper. Aim to gently clean the whole surface of the tongue, starting from the back and working towards the front.
4 – Floss between your teeth daily to remove any trapped food.
5 – Rinse your mouth daily with mouthwash, at a different time of day to when you brush your teeth.
6 – Give up smoking.
7 – Drink lots of water. If your mouth is dehydrated, bacteria will start to break down food particles that have not been washed away – and this causes bad breath.
8 – Chew sugar-free gum after eating, to stimulate the flow of saliva around your mouth.
9 – Cut down on sugary foods, which can increase the amount of bacteria lurking in your mouth. It’s also a good idea to cut down on strongly flavoured or spicy foods such as onions and garlic, as well as coffee and alcohol. Instead, eat vegetables high in vitamin C such as red bell peppers and broccoli, which help to banish mouth bacteria.
10 – Visit your dentist and hygienist regularly. We recommend our Airflow hygiene treatment, which instantly removes heavy staining and disrupts plaque lurking under the gums, creating a brighter, whiter smile and fresher breath.
Make bad breath a thing of the past! To book a hygiene appointment, call Honour Health Jesmond on 0191 281 3913, Honour Health Ponteland on 01661 821 412, or Honour Health Stanley on 01207 232 725.