How to beat bad breath
In most cases bad breath can be prevented with an effective at-home oral care routine.
Although bad breath is rarely the sign of a serious illness, it can cripple self-confidence, romance or relationships. It can even kill career prospects.
No one wants to get close to someone with stinky breath, however much you love or value them.
However, they are not always easy to avoid – up to 90 percent of people experience halitosis at some point and about one in four have a chronic problem.
In most cases, bad breath can be prevented with an effective at-home oral care routine.
This national Fresh Breath Week, recognised from February 7 to 13, IVOhealth’s oral hygiene expert Mrs Dirna Grobbelaar shares her top tips so you will love to smile.
About 80 to 90 percent of bad breath comes from poor oral hygiene.
“Brushing correctly, cleaning the tongue and interdental cleaning are key for fresh breath confidence that comes from a super-clean mouth,” said Mrs Grobbelaar.
When plaque and food debris breaks down in the mouth, it releases foul odours, causes irritation and disease. An effective daily oral care routine should remove this bacteria from the teeth, gums and tongue.
Brushing seems elementary but not everyone does it right.
“Brushing correctly means two minutes, twice a day. Use a soft brush and fluoride toothpaste. Slightly angle the brush to reach just under the gum line as well as the tooth surface.”
Over a third of South Africans admit they never floss.
“The mouth isn’t clean until it’s clean in-between,” said Mrs Grobbelaar.
”If floss is not your style, choose an alternative. Sunstar GUM has the widest range of interdental tools in South Africa, with everything from tiny brushes and floss handles to high-tech toothpicks with built-in fluoride.”
The tongue can be another hiding place for the baddies that cause bad breath.
Gently scrape the tongue on a daily basis, then gargle with alcohol-free mouthwash for extra fresh-breath confidence.
Mrs Grobbelaar recommends a professional cleaning with your oral hygienist every six months and an annual check-up with the dentist.
