When dental patients ask our team at Harris Dental if mouthwash cures bad breath, we tell them that treating bad breath with mouthwash is like drenching yourself with cologne instead of taking a shower. Mouthwash is only a temporary mask for odor caused by poor oral hygiene, tongue bacteria, or digestive conditions.
The best-selling mouthwashes have a significant amount of alcohol, which can even exacerbate bad breath by drying out the mouth. Some bacteria grow even faster in a dry environment.
To eliminate bad breath, you need to find the cause. To get rid of hidden bacteria multiplying between teeth, pay more attention to thorough flossing and brushing.
A haphazard thirty-second brushing won’t prevent halitosis (or cavities). Try to brush for at least three minutes. It may seem like overkill if you have been a speed-brusher but remember that there is a lot of area to cover on multiple planes.
Devise a system to brush every reachable surface of every tooth. Use a soft toothbrush. Then floss carefully around every tooth, pulling the floss down into the space at the gumline on both sides. Brush your gums, sides of mouth, palate, and tongue, also.
Schedule a deep dental cleaning at Harris Dental with the best hygienist in the area and request a refresher (no pun intended) course on brushing and flossing.
If your tongue is the culprit, you might want to start using a tongue scraper.
A tongue scraper is a cleaning device that works like a squeegee to scrape bacteria and food particles off the surface of the tongue.
We treat many individuals with bad breath. There is no reason to feel embarrassed. Leaving bad breath untreated can be more embarrassing.
Schedule an oral exam and halitosis consultation by calling 480-428-0040.
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