Everyone wants to be remembered, but being known for your bad breath isn’t likely what you had in mind.

A lot of people are self-conscious when it comes to their breath, but that doesn’t mean you have to be. There are a lot of causes for bad breath, or halitosis, but there is also a range of cures that can take care of the problem.

As the weather turns cold in Edinburg, don’t let your bad breath ruin a perfectly romantic snowball fight or kiss under the mistletoe! Here are some tips for combating bad breath, so you can get back to spreading holiday cheer.

Maintain Proper Dental Hygiene

Food particles and other debris can break down in your mouth and, as they do, release a less than pleasant odor. Your first line of defense against this form of bad breath is to brush for at least two minutes twice a day and make sure you floss daily.

When you brush, take a moment to scrape and brush the surface of your tongue as well, as bad breath causing bacteria can cling to its surface. And don’t forget to follow it up with a quick rinse using mouthwash.

Watch Your Diet

Certain foods and beverages automatically up the halitosis factor, including onions, garlic, and coffee. Often, brushing and flossing can keep this at bay, as well as chewing sugar-free gum after every meal. Drinking plenty of water can also help, especially after meals.

Low-carb diets can also cause bad breath, especially when used for weight loss, as certain chemicals, known as ketones, are produced during the fat-burning state of ketosis. These substances can cause a foul odor, and it isn’t remedied by brushing and flossing alone. Often, the only way to stop this form of bad breath is to modify your diet, though you can attempt to mask the effects using proper oral hygiene and sugarless gum.

Drinking plenty of water can also help. Dehydration and having a dry mouth can cause bad breath as you are less likely to produce enough saliva to neutralize acids and wash away food debris or dead cells.

Don’t Use Tobacco

Smoking or using other tobacco products, like smokeless tobacco, can leave you with bad breath that isn’t easily cleaned or washed away. Cigarette, cigar, and pipe smoke not only coats the mouth but also gets into the lungs, creating an odor that can’t be addressed by brushing and flossing alone. And smokeless tobacco leaves a residue behind that, once it begins to break down, can cause halitosis.

See Your Dentist

Your Edinburg dentist can help prevent and cure many causes of bad breath. Issues like bleeding gums, tooth decay, and oral infections can cause an unpleasant odor to take over your mouth, leading to halitosis. With proper treatment, many of these problems can be handled, effectively removing the source of your bad breath. So, you don’t have to fret about your bad breath any longer. Contact your Edinburg dentist today to see how the proper treatment plan can help.