It is surely one of the most embarrassing health conditions known to man - bad breath. The look of distaste on someone's face when you know it is caused by your own bad breath is truly mortifying. Just what causes bad breath and what can you possibly do about it? Some of the causes of bad breath are pretty obvious. If you are going to eat strong-smelling foods such as onions and garlic then it's a given that for some time afterwards your breath isn't exactly going to be fresh. It's a relief to learn that foods of the above type only cause bad breath for a short period and then they cease to have that effect. But, of course, there are other bad breath causes that can be more long-lasting. Food particles trapped in your mouth is one of these. Anaerobic bacteria just love these food particles and thrive on them and these bacteria cause bad breath. A dry mouth with little saliva production is also a contributor to bad breath. Saliva is your mouth's natural mouthwash. Drinking alcohol can contribute to dry mouth or xerostomia, to give it its medical name. If you have generally poor oral hygiene or if you're a smoker, these can both cause bad breath. On a more serious note, bad breath can indicate an underlying medical condition such as lung, stomach or blood problems or even diabetes. If you know that you have a problem with bad breath, how can you combat it? One of the best things you can do for starters is pay particular attention to good oral hygiene every day. Something a lot of people still don't do is brush the tongues as well as the teeth and gums. It will pay to get a tongue scraper as this will do a better job of removing stray food particles and dead skin from the tongue that can be contributory factors to bad breath. You should make sure that you book regular check-ups with your dentist so that any necessary treatment can be arranged as quickly as possible so that oral health problems don't get chance to develop into something major. If it's not practical for you to brush your teeth after every meal then you should at the very least swill your mouth with water to loosen and expel as many stray food particles as possible. Chew sugarfree gum or sugarless lozenges to stimulate saliva production. Use a mouthwash twice a day, morning and evening. But be careful which one you choose. Most of them, bizarrely, have a strong alcohol content which is not good. Try to find one that doesn't contain alcohol. You should stop smoking and refrain from drinks that contain alcohol or caffeine. Eat more leafy green vegetables. These vegetables contain chlorophyll which is nature's own breath freshener. All of the above tips, if practised, will help you to alleviate your bad breath symptoms.
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