Bad breath caused by foods like garlic or beverages like coffee is temporary, but chronic bad breath is a problem that needs treatment and not just a cover-up. Halitosis, the proper term for bad breath, is caused by bacteria on the teeth and gums. Chronic bad breath could be a sign of gum disease.

Most mouthwashes contain ingredients that fight bacteria. When choosing a mouthwash, look carefully at the claims on the label, and then look for the ADA seal. The ADA (American Dental Association) seal means that the ADA has agreed that the mouthwash does what it claims to do. Mouthwash labels may use phrases like tartar control or plaque fighting. Without the ADA seal, these claims may not be valid.

Mouthwash may also contain fluoride. You should be using fluoride toothpaste twice a day to brush your teeth, but a fluoride mouthwash may also be recommended. Fluoride strengthens tooth enamel and helps to prevent cavities and tooth decay.

Breath mints and mint chewing gums are not actually harmful as long as they contain no sugar. Chewing gum can actually help your teeth by promoting saliva production, which helps to wash away acids from foods. Chewing sugarless gum after meals is actually a good habit, but if you are using gum or mints constantly to fight bad breath, you should see the dentist.

Gum disease and tooth decay will cause bad breath that keeps coming back no matter how much mouthwash you use. Getting these problems treated will eliminate chronic bad breath, save your teeth and prevent toothache, bleeding gums and other oral health problems. You can keep normal, food-related bad breath in check and fight bacteria by using ADA approved mouthwash as part of your daily oral hygiene routine.

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Crunchy foods

Crunchy fruits or vegetables can help to remove food particles that are stuck to your teeth. If you’re still looking for something to munch on after eating, an apple or some celery sticks could help to neutralize your breath.

Dairy products

Dairy products can neutralize acids that cause bad breath. A piece of cheese or some unsweetened yogurt at the end of a meal can improve your breath, and give you calcium that’s good for your oral health. Eating yogurt regularly may even help improve your breath on a regular basis.

Sugarless gum

Sugarless gum is not only better for your teeth than gum that contains sugar, it actually may be better for your teeth than not chewing gum at all. That’s because the chewing action stimulates saliva production, and saliva washes away acids in your mouth. This can improve your breath and reduce bacteria. Mint-flavored gum may be the top choice for masking bad breath, but cinnamon gum may actually do a better job of conquering bad breath, due to a chemical in cinnamon flavoring that can actually reduce bacteria.

Tea

Strange as it may sound, black tea can actually reduce bad breath. Compounds in black tea can inhibit the growth of mouth bacteria that cause bad breath. Tea can also leave an odor on your breath, so limit your intake and opt for decaffeinated tea for less negative breath affects.

Water

Simply drinking water after a meal can wash away food particles and acids. This is good for your oral health, and your breath.

Some other foods that may quickly freshen your breath are lemon, cranberries, pineapple and parsley. Remember that good oral hygiene and regular dental checkups are the best way to keep your mouth healthy and your breath fresh.

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The majority of breath mints are high in sugar. Sugar does not actually hurt the teeth or gums directly, but it feeds bacteria, allowing the harmful bacteria to breed. This is why dentists recommend sugar-free gum, but with breath mints, there are not many sugar-free options available. Many brands of breath mints are composed of sugar more than any other ingredient. Even sugar-free breath mints, when they can be found, have no ability to actually remove the bacteria that causes bad breath in the first place. The minty flavor and scent merely conceals bad breath for a short period of time.

Some alternatives to using breath mints to temporarily eliminate bad breath include chewing sugar-free gum. The chewing action increases the production of saliva, which can help to wash away food particles after eating. Disposable toothbrushes that don’t need water are another alternative. Bottled breath sprays, like mints, are a temporary cover that may contain sugar and do no particular good for your teeth or gums.

While sugar-free gum or disposable toothbrushes are safe and reasonably effective at concealing bad breath, if you find yourself reaching for them frequently, it may indicate that you have a problem that needs to be treated. Chronic bad breath, called halitosis, is a sign of a problem with bacteria and possible gum disease. Even if you don’t have gum disease yet, if you have chronic halitosis, it is likely that you have enough bad bacteria in your mouth that you are likely to get gum disease. The sooner you get the problem treated, the easier the treatment is. Gum disease caught in its early stages is easily reversible, and getting rid of it will not only help your gums and teeth, but it will help your problem with bad breath as well.

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