{"id":488,"date":"2017-07-01T04:08:24","date_gmt":"2017-07-01T04:08:24","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/aprescriptionforhealthyliving\/?p=488"},"modified":"2017-07-01T04:11:07","modified_gmt":"2017-07-01T04:11:07","slug":"bad-breath","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/aprescriptionforhealthyliving\/2017\/07\/bad-breath.html","title":{"rendered":"Enjoy A Fresh Breath"},"content":{"rendered":"<blockquote>\n<p style=\"text-align: left\">Have you been told that your breath smells bad? Do you fear someone may be even thinking of it, but don\u2019t want to embarrass you?<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p>Once you know your mouth could use some freshening up, you might be able to make it better without drowning in mouthwash or visiting the dentist. Try the tips below. If you don\u2019t notice a change in a few weeks, ask your dentist or doctor for help. Bad breath can be caused by an illness \u2014 including tonsil issues and stomach reflux \u2014 or medicine.<\/p>\n<p><b>Clean Your Teeth and Gum<\/b><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/aprescriptionforhealthyliving\/files\/2017\/06\/IMG_0504.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-medium wp-image-490\" src=\"https:\/\/wp-media.beliefnet.com\/sites\/292\/2017\/06\/IMG_0504-300x200.jpg\" alt=\"IMG_0504\" width=\"300\" height=\"200\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p>Many bad-breath problems are linked to oral hygiene. If you don\u2019t brush and floss well, your mouth breaks down the tiny chunks of food that are caught between your teeth. This can give off an odor that can smell like sulfur or rotten eggs. Toothpaste or mouthwash may mask it for a while, but it can\u2019t fix the problem.<\/p>\n<p>Bacteria that causes bad breath can be found in one of three places:<\/p>\n<p>On the teeth<br \/>\nUnder the gums<br \/>\nThe tongue<br \/>\nTo avoid bad breath caused by food that lingers in your mouth, brush twice a day, floss once daily and get regular checkups from your dentist.<\/p>\n<p><b>Scrape Your Tongue<\/b><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/aprescriptionforhealthyliving\/files\/2017\/06\/IMG_0507.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-medium wp-image-491\" src=\"https:\/\/wp-media.beliefnet.com\/sites\/292\/2017\/06\/IMG_0507-300x200.jpg\" alt=\"Close-up Of A Woman Cleaning Her Tongue\" width=\"300\" height=\"200\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p>Brushing and flossing alone may not fix your bad breath, because the tongue can house food particles. To get to them, brush your tongue or use a tongue scraper when you brush.<\/p>\n<p>You may spit out yellow or brown saliva after you use a scraper. Rinse your mouth after each use.<\/p>\n<p><b>Eat for Better<\/b><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/aprescriptionforhealthyliving\/files\/2017\/06\/IMG_0514.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-medium wp-image-492\" src=\"https:\/\/wp-media.beliefnet.com\/sites\/292\/2017\/06\/IMG_0514-300x199.jpg\" alt=\"Biting an apple\" width=\"300\" height=\"199\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p>Crunchy, fiber-rich fruits and vegetables can help cleanse your mouth of food particles that can cling to your teeth and tongue between meals.<\/p>\n<p>It\u2019s wise to avoid too much dessert, and did you know that it can affect your breath? It\u2019s true! Refined foods and white sugar can cause some bacteria in your mouth to be overfed, which sets off an odor.<\/p>\n<p><b>Try Probiotics<\/b><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/aprescriptionforhealthyliving\/files\/2017\/06\/IMG_0508.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-medium wp-image-493\" src=\"https:\/\/wp-media.beliefnet.com\/sites\/292\/2017\/06\/IMG_0508-300x198.jpg\" alt=\"IMG_0508\" width=\"300\" height=\"198\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p>Many people swish mouthwash to kill bacteria that cause bad breath. The truth is that gargling can kill good and bad bacteria.<\/p>\n<p>If you eat more foods with good bacteria, you may change the good-to-bad ratio inside your mouth, leading to better breath. Try yogurt, or food with Probiotics.<\/p>\n<p>Eating the yogurt, you swish it all around in your mouth while you\u2019re enjoying it, and hopefully, you get it to work for your mouth .<\/p>\n<p><b>Fight Dry Mouth<\/b><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/aprescriptionforhealthyliving\/files\/2017\/06\/IMG_0509.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-medium wp-image-494\" src=\"https:\/\/wp-media.beliefnet.com\/sites\/292\/2017\/06\/IMG_0509-300x191.jpg\" alt=\"IMG_0509\" width=\"300\" height=\"191\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>Bad breath is common when your mouth\u2019s dry. You may find relief if you use artificial saliva and drink plenty of water.<\/p>\n<p><b>Many medicines can cause the dryness<a href=\"http:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/aprescriptionforhealthyliving\/files\/2017\/06\/IMG_0510.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-medium wp-image-495\" src=\"https:\/\/wp-media.beliefnet.com\/sites\/292\/2017\/06\/IMG_0510-300x199.jpg\" alt=\"IMG_0510\" width=\"300\" height=\"199\" \/><\/a><\/b><\/p>\n<p>\u201cIf you go on a medication and suddenly your mouth is really dry, talk to your doctor.<\/p>\n<p>Also, some people breathe through their mouths. This dries out the teeth and tongue, and can cause odors. Sometimes, an over the counter nasal decongestants\u00a0or allergy pill can help you breathe easier.<\/p>\n<p><b>Breath Through Your Nose<\/b><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/aprescriptionforhealthyliving\/files\/2017\/06\/IMG_0511.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-medium wp-image-496\" src=\"https:\/\/wp-media.beliefnet.com\/sites\/292\/2017\/06\/IMG_0511-300x200.jpg\" alt=\"IMG_0511\" width=\"300\" height=\"200\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p>If you can breathe through your nose but use your mouth out of habit, especially when you sleep, a chin strap might help. It lets you get used to keeping your mouth shut in bed or around the house until it becomes second-nature<\/p>\n<p><b>Smoking<a href=\"http:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/aprescriptionforhealthyliving\/files\/2017\/06\/IMG_0512.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-medium wp-image-497\" src=\"https:\/\/wp-media.beliefnet.com\/sites\/292\/2017\/06\/IMG_0512-300x200.jpg\" alt=\"IMG_0512\" width=\"300\" height=\"200\" \/><\/a><\/b><\/p>\n<p>Smoking can also give you a dry mouth. If you quit, your breath won\u2019t smell like cigarettes anymore, and you should make more saliva again. That will also help fight the odor.<\/p>\n<p><b>Chew<\/b> <b>Gum<\/b><a href=\"http:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/aprescriptionforhealthyliving\/files\/2017\/06\/IMG_0513.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-medium wp-image-498\" src=\"https:\/\/wp-media.beliefnet.com\/sites\/292\/2017\/06\/IMG_0513-300x200.jpg\" alt=\"IMG_0513\" width=\"300\" height=\"200\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p>Some people hope the minty flavor of gum will mask their bad breath. But a stick every now and then can do even more. It can help you make more saliva \u2014 and sugar-free kinds sweetened with xylitol fight the growth of bad bacteria in your mouth.<\/p>\n<p>It\u2019s a good idea to stay away from gum with sugar.<\/p>\n<p>Now, you can enjoy hanging out with your friends, go to your interview, or approaching your boss!<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Have you been told that your breath smells bad? Do you fear someone may be even thinking of it, but don\u2019t want to embarrass you? Once you know your mouth could use some freshening up, you might be able to make it better without drowning in mouthwash or visiting the dentist. Try the tips below.&hellip;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":438,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[233,236,234,213,237,235],"tags":[238,195,239,141,241,240],"class_list":["post-488","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-bad-breath","category-breathing","category-mouth","category-nutrition","category-smoking","category-teeth","tag-bad-breath","tag-healthy-food","tag-mouth","tag-nutrition","tag-oral-hygiene","tag-teeth"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v23.9 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/wordpress\/plugins\/seo\/ -->\n<title>Enjoy A Fresh Breath - A Prescription for Healthy Living<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"noindex, nofollow\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Enjoy A Fresh Breath - A Prescription for Healthy Living\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Have you been told that your breath smells bad? 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