Bad breath affects a lot of people and if you are one of those people, it can be one of your biggest insecurities. You might be affected and not even know it, here are a few myths about bad breath.

Brushing your teeth by itself will never be enough to rid the mouth of all its bacteria and related odors. One must also floss between their teeth and brush their tongue(in addition to their teeth) to cover all the surface area in the mouth, as bacteria tend to reside heavily in those regions as well.

Additionally, make sure to brush for a full two minutes to clean your teeth completely. The average person only brushes their teeth for 30-40 seconds, which is simply not long enough to rid the mouth of stench causing bacteria.

In general, mouthwash only solves bad breath and leaves the breath smelling good for a short amount of time. If a mouthwash isn’t certified by the ADA(American Dental Association) as an antiseptic, a mouthwash that kills the germs causing bad breath and eliminates plaque, then it’s only covering the bad breath temporarily.

Ask your dentist for mouthwash recommendations, as well as foods and habits to promote good breath!

From a young age we see adults, both in real life and on television, “check” their breath by breathing into their hand, often before approaching their crush. If you yourself were to check your breath in this manner before approaching a crush, you may end up getting rejected.

Talking and simply breathing engage the throat and breath in different ways. When one talks, they tend to bring forward air from the back of the throat, which is where odors originate. Simply breathing does not engage the throat in the same way. Hence, you will not be aware of the full extent of your halitosis.

I can’t tell you how many times I’ve watched a drunken friend react to being told their breath stinks by saying “Time to kill the germs!” and swigging another shot. While it might make sense to the intoxicated brain, this is not a solution. In fact, alcohol only worsens one’s breath.

Alcohol leads to dry mouth, which prevents your saliva from washing down food particles and their accompanying odors. For this reason, any alcohol, from liquor to wine to beer, can cause and worsen bad breath for hours after initial consumption.

While a low sugar mint will mask undesirable scents for a bit, it is far from a permanent solution. Make sure to avoid sugary mints, as the sugar will stick to your teeth, creating a film of sorts, making the problem worse!

If you have any questions about preventing bad breath or other dental related issues, feel free to  contact us.

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