If you pop a peppermint sweet into your mouth in order to deal with bad breath, then you could be making the problem worse. Although sweet smelling foods can cover up the problem of bad breath for a while, they may actually augment the root cause of the issue. This is because most forms of halitosis are caused by microscopic organisms in the mouth. These are foul smelling bacteria which, if they build up in sufficient quantities, become noticeable to other people. Because they are often hanging around in your mouth for a number of months or even years, you may not notice them at first. This is common when you are exposed to any sort of smell which is around for a long time – you get used to it. If a friend or your dentist tells that you have bad breath, then this is what you need to do to get back to normal.

Anti-Bacterial Mouthwashes

As mentioned, most halitosis is caused by bacteria. Therefore, if you get rid of the bacteria the smell will go away. You need to do this just like any other bacteria that you might find on your skin - by killing them off. There are plenty of anti-bacterial mouthwashes on the market that will do the job so long as you swill your mouth out regularly. Once or twice with a mouthwash is not enough. Make sure that you tip your head back and gargle in the back of your throat as well as swilling the mouthwash into your cheeks and under your tongue. A couple of washes a day for a few weeks is usually enough to start killing off bacteria fully.

Deal With Cavities

If your teeth have holes in them, then bacteria can build up on the inside of the enamel which means that products like mouthwash fail to reach where they are needed. You need to close of any cavities in your teeth so that bacteria can't keep re-entering them. Brushing regularly will remineralise your teeth and help. In worse cases, your dentist may need to fill your teeth or provide you with dental implants, such as dental crowns which sit over the top of your teeth fully sealing them off from anything harmful.

Change Your Lifestyle

By altering what you eat and drink, bacteria are less likely to build up in your mouth in the first place. To avoid halitosis making a comeback steer clear of drinking sugary things like cola and limit your coffee intake. Bad breath can also be caused by eating too many strong foods, like curry. If you do eat a spicy meal, then chew gum afterwards and brush your teeth thoroughly.

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