We all get it from time to time. Breath so, shall we say, “powerful” that it makes our own eyes water. There are certainly cases where we can trace our bad breath back to the marvelous spicy Indian food consumed last night, the garlic filled Caesar chicken salad eaten for lunch or the delicious, but humongous, portion of authentic Italian lasagna that has continued to churn in our stomach for the past 12 hours.

More often than not our halitosis can be eliminated, or at least greatly reduced, by good oral hygiene and health. If you brush your teeth after meals, floss daily and rinse with a good quality mouthwash, you are more than half way there. If you can get used to gently brushing your tongue once a day and stay hydrated, you are even farther along the way. Bacteria created by food particles breaking down somewhere in your mouth can smell exactly like day old leftovers in your garbage, especially if the garbage can is kept moist and heated to somewhere around 90 degrees.

You can join forces with your dental team as well, and together eliminate gum disease and infections,  identify and fix old, cracked, leaking fillings or crowns and make sure that partial and full dentures fit as well as possible and that you understand how to keep them clean and the surrounding tissues pink and healthy.

This link to a Minty Breath article has a few other helpful hints and, as usual, Dr. Amble is always willing to discuss your concerns and questions about breath and dental health and hygiene.