Having a bad breath problem can ruin your confidence and can negatively impact your life drastically because you're afraid to speak up in your office or in a social environment. Contrary to what you believe, bad breath is more common than you think and is easily treatable at the dentist's office, as long as you acknowledge the problem. Apart from a vital visit to the dentist's office, here are some lifestyle changes to help you control your bad breath problem.
Change Your Daily Dietary Intake To Avoid Certain Foods
Some foods leave strong and unpleasant odours behind, so you'll probably want to eliminate them from your diet, especially during lunches when you're at the office. Foods like raw onions, garlic, spices, cabbage and sugary sweets have strong odours that tend to linger in your mouth to cause bad breath. Eliminate these from your diet and you'll notice a stark difference in your breath smell. If the problem persists despite your dietary change, then there may be a larger underlying dental issue like cavities, mouth sores or gum disease. All these issues need expert care from dentists. To cover up any lingering bad breath smells, chew on fresh mint or parsley after your meal.
Strengthen Your Resolve To Quit Tobacco
Quitting smoking is not only prudent to control your bad breath problem, but it also helps to improve your overall health. You may not realise this but smoking a cigarette leaves foul lingering smells on your clothes, your body and even in your mouth. This can be extremely unpleasant for people around you. By quitting smoking, you will benefit by eliminating your bad breath problem and you are bound to feel healthier. You could either quit smoking naturally or you could seek specific medication from your dentist and doctor to help you kick this bad habit. Your health and breath will both thank you.
Avoid Low Carbohydrate Crash Diets
Several low carbohydrate crash diets force your body to break down existing fat. As your body burns this fat, it will produce ketones. High levels of ketones in your body will result in bad breath. While the idea of low carbohydrates and fat burning seems appealing, it will have a severe impact on your breath. The best way to plan any diet is to introduce a healthy mix of protein and carbohydrates after consulting with a nutritionist or dentist. This will help you find a way to lose weight without compromising on the quality of your breath.
Keep in mind that bad breath could be a sign of a larger dental problem. Make sure your lifestyle changes are supplemented with regular visits to dentists for eliminating the problem completely.
Share16 December 2015
As a retired dentist, I work with charities which visit developing countries and educate children about dental care. It gives me great satisfaction to revisit these communities and see how proud the children are of their efforts. I am acutely aware that good dental hygiene can help prevent a range of serious conditions when these children become older. I started this blog because it greatly distresses me that many people in Australia do not seem to care for their teeth as much as children in these poor communities. This is happening despite ready access to items like toothbrushes and toothpaste which are luxuries in the places I visit. It is my hope that this blog encourages you not to take dental health for granted. My greatest wish is that you can be as inspired as the children I see in my charity work. Please read on and enjoy.
