How Can I Permanently Get Rid of Bad Breath?

Updated on October 18, 2021

Bad breath or halitosis can significantly impact your life even beyond the social aspect. Your health, activity, mental health, and hygiene—everything is negatively affected simply because of poor oral hygiene.

It doesn’t have to be this way, though. You can get rid of bad breath permanently by taking on a few immediate treatments and making some lifestyle changes to maintain your oral hygiene. If you wish to know more techniques to achieving fresh breath, see here.

Why Do I Have a Bad Breath?

Have you noticed people turning their faces away from you as you talk? Perhaps, they back up a bit when you start to speak. Chances are, you could have bad breath.

Before you can figure out how to address this problem, you need to understand what’s causing it in the first place. This way, you’ll know exactly what habits to change or whether or not you need medical help.

Food Ingredients

Certain food ingredients are commonly known to cause bad breath, mainly because of the substances released when such foods are broken down by digestion in our stomach. Such foodstuff can cause your breath to smell, though not permanently.

Infections

How long has it been since you last visited your dentist?  If you haven’t scheduled a visit in the last six months, infections and dental conditions, including tooth decay, could be causing your breath to smell bad.

Diseases

Underlying diseases related to your nose or throat could also be causing such problems. Sinusitis, rhinitis, and tonsillitis are few examples of diseases that can secrete discharge and cause bad breath.

Dry Mouth Disorders

This is one of the primary reasons why your breath smells. A dry mouth is a breeding ground for bacteria. To know if you have this, check your tongue; if it is pretty pink, you’re safe. On the other hand, if it is white, you have bacteria growing there, which can cause a foul odor.

Dry mouth can also be caused by decreased salivation, conditions like xerostomia, certain medication, or age-related diseases.

Immediate Treatment

The immediate treatment you undertake can depend on the cause. Again, you will first need to identify the cause of your bad breath so that you can make lifestyle changes accordingly.

If you conducted the tongue test and found growth of bacteria in your mouth, you should invest in mouth rinses and toothpaste that can clear the buildup. There are also certain toothpaste brands with antibacterial properties to help ease this problem for you.

On the other hand, if the underlying causes are other nose- or throat-related problems, you should reach out to a medical specialist to treat those issues as soon as possible. In addition, there are specific lifestyle changes you can make.

Lifestyle Changes

Even after going to the dentist, it doesn’t mean that you can now lean back and relax. It’s best to indulge in preventative measures and chart up strategies to stop you from reaching this point again. Maintain healthy oral hygiene by building up these habits:

1. Invest in good dental health supplies.

Ensure all your dentures, toothbrush, and other dental supplies are thoroughly cleaned, replaced, and used appropriately. Also, floss your teeth at least once a day to remove plaque and food particles.

2. Don’t forget to scrape your tongue too.

Yes, it’s the same white coating we talked about before. You will want to scrape off that coating from your tongue every time you brush your teeth. You can also try a scraper if your toothbrush is making you feel uncomfortable.

3. Avoid dry mouth at all costs.

Check your dental items. Some kinds of toothpaste contain sodium lauryl sulfate, which can dry out your mouth. As mentioned, a dry mouth harbors odor-causing bacteria. Similarly, your mouthwash may contain alcohol that can also make your mouth dry. Even certain medications list dry mouth as a side effect.

4. Oral probiotics can become your friends.

Probiotics can produce antimicrobial effects, no matter how ironic that sounds.

5. Make adequate dietary adjustments.

Avoid coffee, soft drinks, and alcohol, as these agents can cause dry mouth. You should also make sure to add water as an integral part of your daily consumption to ensure a moist mouth at all times. Moreover, avoid garlic or onion to prevent bad breath, especially before an important meeting.

6. Say no to tobacco.

Not only does tobacco cause cancer, but it damages your gums and increases your risk of developing gum diseases. It is also known to cause dry mouth, which is linked to an increase in bad odor.

7. Visit a dentist regularly.

A regular clean-up and check-up with your dentist are super important to discuss any dietary, dentistry, and oral habits that you might need to change.

Find the Cause and Work From There

Healthy habits are what can drive away your bad odor permanently. You can take different approaches, but to address the problem correctly, you should identify the cause first. From there, you will know exactly how to solve it.

The Editorial Team at Healthcare Business Today is made up of skilled healthcare writers and experts, led by our managing editor, Daniel Casciato, who has over 25 years of experience in healthcare writing. Since 1998, we have produced compelling and informative content for numerous publications, establishing ourselves as a trusted resource for health and wellness information. We offer readers access to fresh health, medicine, science, and technology developments and the latest in patient news, emphasizing how these developments affect our lives.