Wednesday, April 17, 2024


Don’t Let Your Breath Speak For You.

March 14, 2017 by  
Filed under Health, Weekly Columns

(Akiit.comHaving bad breath can be an embarrassing issue. In some cases, it is completely harmless. In others, it’s a sign that there is a serious health issue that you must deal with. You can cover up bad breath, and that issue will still exist. It will still be present, and this is why you shouldn’t just ignore a problem like this. So, before we get into how to cover up your bad breath or eliminate it completely, let’s look at some of the most common causes.

One of the most natural causes of bad breath is acid reflux. This is not a particularly pleasant problem to have. But, on the bright side, it’s also not a serious medical condition. If you have acid reflux, your food is not being digested immediately. Instead, it builds up, and the odor of your bad breath comes from that pocket of food in your gut. Usually, acid reflux can be treated by changing your diet. However, there is also medicine that will help it diminish far more quickly.

Halitosis is another issue that can cause terrible breath. Halitosis tends to point to the fact that you have poor levels of oral hygiene. Essentially, you’re not cleaning your teeth properly, and any leftover residue from the food that you eat is causing a nasty odor in your mouth. Halitosis can be recognized by waking up with a sour taste in your mouth. You might not be able to smell your breath but the person next to you certainly will.

Bad breath can also be a sign of cancer in the mouth or any serious condition. If you suddenly start to develop bad breath, you may want to get an appointment with a dentist. They will be able to check you out and ensure that nothing sinister is the cause of the problem. If it is, you should be aware that most types of oral cancer can be treated easily. Particularly if you catch it early.

The last common cause of bad breath is any issue with the nose. For instance, if you snore, you might find that you have bad breath because fluids are leaking from your nose down back into your mouth. People who wear retainers also tend to have bad breath in the morning due to the fact that their mouth is open through the night. As such, bacteria tends to develop around their teeth and gums.

So, we’ve highlighted some of the main causes of bad breath. What on earth are the solutions?

Covering It

There are plenty of ways to cover bad breath. If you vape, you might want to try menthol e-liquid in your cigarette. This will give you a fresh taste in your mouth and should alter your breath too. This just shows that getting rid of your bad breath doesn’t have to mean changing your lifestyle.

Alternatively, you can try mints, chewing gum or a mouth spray. Anything like this should mask the smell for at least a few hours and stop other people from noticing it.

Night Solutions

If you have bad breath due to snoring, you can think about getting nose strips. Nose strips open up your nasal passageways. If they are blocked off, this is usually what causes the snoring, and it’s also why you need to keep your mouth open all night. That’s why you wake up with terrible breath.

You might want to try using mouthwash as you wake up. Leave it by your bed and dilute it with water so you can swallow it.

A Thorough Clean

If you think your bad breath is being caused by your teeth not being clean there’s an easy fix. You just need to improve your cleaning methods. Believe it or not, most people don’t know how to clean their teeth properly. It’s true, dentists conducted a survey and found nearly half of all people were doing it wrong. If you have an electric toothbrush, you should angle the brush thirty degrees and keep it close to the gum line. Then, spend around a minute or two on each section of your mouth. Let the brush move around naturally, don’t force it and your teeth will get a thorough clean.

At a certain age, you also need to floss. Food particles can build up between the teeth too, causing your nasty breath.

Dispelling Acid Reflux

Or finally, if your breath is gassy and smells of rotten food you have acid reflux. Believe it or not one of the best ways to get rid of this is to fix your posture. By standing up straight, or sitting properly, you can ensure your food is digested completely.

Staff Writer; William Moore


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