Bad breath impacts nearly everyone at some point in their lives. There are numerous causes ranging from foods, drinks, medication and even breathing habits. Bad breath can usually be prevented with proper oral hygiene including brushing, flossing or using oral rinses to kill germs and remove debris. Bad breath in the morning is usually caused by dry mouth, explains the Mayo Clinic. This is the result of sleeping with your mouth open or slowed saliva production during sleep. Getting rid of bad breath in the morning can be quite easy.
Step 1
Increase your water intake during the day. Dry mouth can cause bad breath during the day, as well as in the morning after a night of sleep. Saliva helps cleanse and hydrate the mouth. The Mayo Clinic explains that dry mouth allows dead cells to accumulate on the tongue, gums and cheeks. These cells will deteriorate naturally and cause odor.
Step 2
Keep a bottle or glass of water by your bed and drink it upon waking. This will help wet your mouth right away.
Step 3
Check your sleep behaviors. Do you sleep with your mouth open? Ways to determine this include asking your bed partner if you snore or checking your pillow for drool marks. You may already know that you sleep with your mouth open due to waking with saliva on the side of your face or because your mouth is dryer than sand paper when you wake.
Step 4
Adjust your sleep behaviors to compensate for sleeping with your mouth open. This can be done by changing position in bed to make it harder for your mouth to fall open. If you have sleep apnea, you may already be using a device to help with this issue.
Step 5
Improve your oral hygiene if dry mouth does not seem to be the cause of your morning breath. Visit a dentist at least once per year, but twice is better. Use baking soda to brush up at night and be sure to scrub your tongue. Use an antiseptic mouth wash to kill bacteria and be sure to floss regularly to remove debris that can decay overnight.
Tips and Warnings
- Try nose strips to open your nose during sleep to encourage breathing through the nasal passages instead of the mouth. Clear out your nasal passages with saline nasal spray or a nasal irrigation tool as sinus blockage can lead to bad breath.
- For persistent or very unpleasant bad breath, visit a dentist to ensure an underlying gum or tooth problem is not to blame.
