This time of year, you may find yourself in very close quarters with friends and family. That’s because it’s Halloween season, the time for snuggling up with your special someone for your favorite cult classic horror film or a weekend touring the year’s best haunted houses and tours.
Don’t let your bad breath be the thing that’s scaring everyone away!
Find solutions at Cupertino Family Dental!
In the meantime, keep reading to learn more about some common causes of bad breath and what you can do to keep your mouth clean and fresh.
If you’ve tried gum, mints, and mouthwash with little success, it’s time to take a deeper look at what might be lurking behind your bad breath. Here are some of the most common explanations:
Sure, you probably already guessed this one.
We all know which foods are more notorious for turning good breath bad, like onions, garlic, or fish.
What’s not as widely-known, however, is that most other foods, especially those high in sugar and refined carbohydrates, can be just as smelly if left in the dark nooks and crannies in your mouth long enough. In fact, sugar is a favorite food source for odorous, harmful bacteria, so the more you consume it, the more you’re encouraging the spread of that bacteria, which will stink up your mouth.
That’s why eating healthy fruits, vegetables, and protein-packed foods, along with brushing and flossing each day, are a big part of keeping your breath fresh.
Bad breath can also be a symptom of dry mouth. If you’re not taking in enough water every single day, you won’t produce a healthy amount of saliva, which is your body’s natural, bacteria-fighting coating that shields teeth and gums from harmful bacteria.
Saliva also helps wash away food particles and debris in between brushing and flossing, which starves bad bacteria from the sugar it relies on for strength and harmful acid production that hurts your teeth.
You should drink plenty of water everyday to avoid dehydration, but you can also try sugarless chewing gum as an additional way to encourage saliva flow.
Smoking and excessive alcohol consumption can also dehydrate you and lead to dry mouth, so consider modifying your lifestyle that will not only help you maintain fresher breath, but overall better health!
While stinky breath isn’t necessarily scary, the cause of it can be.
That’s because persistent bad breath is a common sign of gum disease, a bacterial infection that leads in the causes of adult tooth loss and threatens your overall health if it’s left untreated and allowed to spread throughout your body.
You can prevent gum disease with daily brushing and flossing in conjunction with routine dental cleanings and exams with Dr. Lo. We will remove plaque and tartar buildup, as well as examine your mouth for signs of periodontal infection and take immediate steps to treat it effectively.
Maybe you have plans this Halloween to check out a few haunted houses with your friends. How can you huddle up with the gang and tiptoe in lockstep if you have smelly breath?
Don’t wonder the dark, scary haunted halls alone!
Dr. Lo and our team at Cupertino Family Dental can help you figure out the underlying cause of your bad breath and find the most suitable and lasting solution.
Call our Cupertino Family Dental office today or fill out our online form to make an appointment.
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