Best Toothpaste For Bad Breath

What Causes Bad Breath (Halitosis)?

Bad breath is not just an embarrassing problem, it’s also a sign that there’s something going on in your mouth that isn’t particularly healthy. However, knowing what’s happening in there is key to solving the issue and getting your breath back to normal. So, what exactly causes bad breath? The answer is that there are several main causes, including:

Food

Whenever you eat food, no matter whether it’s a healthy apple, a 3-course dinner or an unhealthy snack, it’ll start decaying over the course of the day, naturally. The problem with this is that the mouth represents just the kind of environment that bacteria really loves, and it doesn’t just grow in there, it thrives!

So, when the food you’ve just eaten starts decaying, the bacteria that is naturally occurs already in your mouth multiplies exponentially, causing the foul odours that are making you so paranoid about breathing on other people around you. That bacteria, better known as plaque, then starts to coat your whole mouth – the tongue, the teeth and the gums - and your bad breath starts to spiral out of control leaving you suffering from a lack of confidence, and possibly, if it goes on enough, a lack of friends!

If you’re going to eradicate your breath odour completely, you have to get rid of that plaque somehow, and one of the best things to get rid of it is a good quality toothpaste that has been specially designed to eradicate halitosis. If you don’t manage to get rid of all that plaque every day, over time it’ll start to harden and turn into tartar which can only be removed by your dentist or hygienist – not the most pleasant experience! That plaque and tartar begins to smell and that causes your problem to worsen increasingly over time.

Apart from food, there are a number of other reasons why you might have less than fresh breath. Some of the other causes include:

Diet – perhaps you’re trying out the Atkins diet, or another form of keto eating plan which involves limiting carbs to a very low level and eating more meat on a daily basis. One of the major side effects of this lifestyle is bad breath, as when the body runs low on carbohydrates it begins to burn fat and store sugar instead, causing the body to release ketones that cause breath odour.

If your problem is being caused by your diet, you need to be aware that no amount of mouthwash, oral irrigation or toothpaste, (even one that is created specially for eradicating bad breath) will resolve your problem in the long term. You’re betting off keeping some mints or chewing gum to hand as a remedy so that you can feel more confident when you go out and about.

Smoking – ok, you already know that smoking isn’t the best thing for your health, and if you smoke, you’ll no doubt have heard your friends or family members moaning about your smoker’s breath. Bad breath in smokers is because of dry mouth, or, to give it a more scientific name, xerostomia.

When you’re a smoker, you’re more susceptible to developing gum (periodontal) disease. If smoking is the source of your bad breath, you need to get a toothpaste which is designed to deal with xerostomia together with a mouth rinse that will keep your mouth properly hydrated. It goes without saying that the most effective way to get rid of smoker’s breath is to give up smoking completely, but that’s another story.

Sickness – if you have a post nasal drip, or you’re suffering from coughing, you may find your breath is deteriorating. The only real solution is to become healthy again, but if you want to cover up that bad breath while you’re getting well, take some mints wherever you go, drink lots of fluids to stay hydrated and get plenty of rest to give yourself the best chance of recovery as quickly as possible.

Incorrect brushing technique – you probably think you know how to brush your teeth properly, however a surprising number of people just pay attention to the front teeth – the ones that everyone sees when you smile – and just pay lip service to the teeth at the back of the mouth. You need to clean your tongue and gum line too as your mouth is full of microbes. Cleaning it thoroughly for a minimum of 2 minutes, twice per day, will help to guard against bad breath.

What Ingredients Should I Look For in a Toothpaste?

When it comes to picking a toothpaste to get rid of your bad breath, you should be looking for some specific ingredients that are known to combat halitosis. Sodium fluoride is the key ingredient to look for on packaging as it can kill bad bacteria which develops into plaque in just a few seconds as soon as it makes contact.

There are some other all-natural toothpaste ingredients that work well to protect against bad breath – Dead Sea salt, zinc, vegetable-based glycerine and essential oils can help to whiten the teeth, and, especially important for halitosis sufferers, can assist in keeping the gums healthy and clean.

Complimentary Oral Hygiene Products That Help Improve Bad Breath

If you’re keen to do everything possible to get rid of your halitosis problem, you can use some other complimentary products as well as toothpaste that will help to remove odours effectively. Some of these options might be worth your investment:

• Dental Floss – classic dental floss may be uncomfortable and a hassle to use every day, but it plays a key role in removing the plaque on the teeth that brushing hasn’t managed to fully remove. Brilliant at getting decaying food from between the teeth, floss loosens up debris to you’re able to easily rinse the remaining gunk off.
• Water Flossing – flossing is messy and, let’s face it, a bit gross – especially if you can’t bear the sight of blood when you floss. A great way of cleaning your tongue and the areas between your teeth is to use a good quality water flosser. Working effectively as a tongue cleaner, a gum cleaner, a waterpick and a toothbrush device, these handy gadgets are easier to use than you’d think and do an amazing job at keeping your mouth completely healthy.
• Mouthwash – the final step in any sensible man’s tooth cleaning regime, a quick rinse with an antiseptic mouthwash will help to get rid of any plaque or debris that has somehow managed to avoid removal by the floss and the toothbrush. There are some very powerful brands out there, but they can burn or irritate your mouth, especially if it’s very sensitive, so using one of the options which are free from alcohol is probably the best choice.
• Tongue scraping – if you’ve ever seen a medieval torture device, you might be somewhat put off by the idea of using a tongue scraper – there is definitely something rather unpleasant about scraping some metal over your tongue to remove gunk and debris, however lets look at the benefits before we decide that a tongue scraper is definitely not the way to go.Yes, they may be off-putting at the first glance, but they are very effectively at getting rid of every bit of bacteria that has built up on your tongue. Even better, they’re not just effective, they’re super easy to clean. As all the best tongue scrapers are made out of metal, this reduces how much bacteria can grow on them, and they are simple to wash or disinfect, especially when compared to the plastic versions that are available. If you can’t quite stretch to a water flosser, tongue scrapers could be a great and affordable alternative and will help get rid of bad breath almost as effectively.