Don’t let bad breath, or even just worrying about whether or not you have it, ruin your night this Valentine’s Day. Our Ballwin office wants you to have fresh, healthy breath, every day of the year, and we know how important this holiday can be.
In our last post, we talked about how dry mouth causes bad breath, and this time we want to give Ballwin residents ways to make their mouths smell great. A regular oral hygiene routine is always the best option, but if you are somewhere that makes brushing and flossing impractical, there are a number of other options available.
Mouthwash
Dr. Postol recommends that you use a mouthwash as part of your daily teeth-cleaning system, and you can also rinse your mouth anytime you feel a bout of bad breath coming on. You have to be very careful when selecting a mouth rinse, however: many are simply cosmetic, briefly covering up smells without getting at the root of the problem.
When you are trying to choose a mouthwash, there are a few things to look for. Pay close attention to the alcohol content, because more than a 20 percent concentration can actually increase bad breath by further drying out your mouth. Also, pH balanced products are better, which includes anything with a pH of about 5.5 or higher. Brands that fit within these guidelines include CariFree®, Cepacol®, and Act®.
Mints and Gums
If you would prefer to use a mint or a gum, you should make sure that the first ingredient is xylitol, a natural sweetener that does not harm teeth the way common sugar does and may actually prevent cavities from forming. Here at our Ballwin office, our favorites are Tic Tac® Chill mints, Spry® mints and gums, and Trident® gums.
Don’t forget that while it is not bad to cover up foul-smelling breath, you need to make sure that Dr. Postol is aware of this problem so that we can rule out any serious diseases that may cause this condition.
