1. Minty Fresh
Mints, gums and mouthwashes are only temporary solutions to chronic bad breath. They just mask the problem for a short period of time, even though these products purport to do otherwise. In fact, according to the Mayo Clinic these mouth fresheners may not be as effective as when a person simply washes their mouth out thoroughly with water after brushing and flossing the teeth.
2. Proper Cleaning
There is just no substitute for proper and thorough dental care. If you are like most people, you only brush your teeth for about 40 seconds, but studies show it takes at least three minutes to brush all the teeth properly. In addition, most people do not consider tongue-cleaning part of proper dental care but germs and proteins on the tongue are often a cause of chronic bad breath. So not only must you brush and floss, but also purchase a tongue scraper to completely eliminate germs and proteins from your mouth.
3. Dry Mouth
Saliva may be gross to think about but it helps prevent chronic bad breath. There are many reasons for dry mouth. Smoking not only makes the clothes smell but it dries out the mouth, leading to chronic bad breath. Dry mouth also naturally occurs during sleep, which is why you so often wake up with morning breath. Alcohol is also another cause of dry mouth, so a hangover is not the only morning consequence of that late night.
4. See a Doctor
Though you may not have any other symptoms, bad breath may be a sign of serious disease. According to the American Dental Association, chronic bad breath may be a sign of a problem or infection in the respiratory tract, or another disease such as diabetes, kidney or liver disease, among others. Please consult a physician if the problem persists.
5. Cupping the Hand
Most people think they can detect their own bad breath by breathing into a cupped hand and sniffing for odor. This is not necessarily the case, because we become accustomed to our own smell. In addition, sometimes bad breath only escapes as we are talking. The only way to tell for sure the extent of the bad breath is to visit a dentist and ask him or her to use a halimeter for odor verification.
