Anyone know a cure for bad breath?

Question

I brush my teeth twice a day, once after breakfast, and before I go to bed. I do not use Listerine though or floss.

Answer 1

Try Act mouth wash. It's really minty and tastes better than act. Also, during the day, you could chew minty gum and/or have a mint every once in a while. My dentist told me not to use Listerine for some reason. I think she said it had some sort of alcohol in it or something. So try Act.

Answer 2

When was the last time you had your teeth professionally cleaned? Standard practice is once every six months.

You should floss too. Even a couple times a week would be beneficial. It gets to the things stuck in between your teeth that your brush can't reach. Plus use a tongue scraper (you can get them at Walmart for about $3). Or just make sure you brush your tongue, too.

Is your diet high in garlic or other strong flavors? If so, cut back some on them.

These things should help with the bad breath if you don't have any underlying medical conditions ...... sinus infection, active cavity, etc.

Answer 3

try using sugarless gum after meals like lunch and dinner and you should start flossing bad breath comes from food stuck between the teeth or some type of stomach disorder my father had the same thing but with him he flossed and used lots of mouthwash and that never worked he addressed it to the doctor and he tested positive for H-pylouri some type of stomach infection a nd had to take a course of antibiotics and well after that its not so bad now considering he still is flossing it depends what u eat though

Answer 4

I don't know if you smoke, but when I did I had bad breath that would be a little better after I started brushing my tongue regularly. I would just use the toothpaste that I used when I brushed my teeth.

Answer 5

Many people are surprised to learn bad breath is one of the constipation symptoms most commonly overlooked. However, it is not difficult to understand really. The mouth and stomach are connected. Constipation and other disturbances in the intestines can cause poor digestion. A digestive tract that is sluggish due to constipation can cause the mouth to have a putrid odor. This is due to gases rising up from the stomach and lingering in the mouth. here is more information!
http://www.colon-cleanse-constipation.com/constipation-symptoms.html

good luck!

Answer 6

bad breath is associated to the gastric juices your stomach produces...you must eat properly to elimate bad breath...be sure to eat your breakfast...and also brush and floss you teeth...and it doesnt hurt if you use some mouthwash after brushing, to make you breath extra fresh...

Answer 7

Try listerine. You may also have some sort of digestive problem.

Answer 8

floss and brush your tongue!!!!

the bacteria found inbetween your teeth can cause breath funk.

brushing your tongue can clean your mouth more fully and de-stank you.

Answer 9

Make sure you don't have a sinus infection.

Answer 10

What causes bad breath?

Conditions and circumstances that can cause or compound problems with bad breath.
In most cases bad breath (halitosis) is caused by the presence of oral bacteria. There can be, however, other factors that influence the odor of one's breath and, in fact, the quality of a person's breath will ultimately depend on a number of different variables.

How do foods cause bad breath?
Everyone knows that certain foods have a reputation for causing bad breath. Possibly the two of the most notorious ones are garlic and onions.

When we eat our digestive system breaks the food we have consumed down in to its component molecules, some of which have very unpleasant and characteristic odors. As these molecules are created they are absorbed into our circulatory system and distributed throughout the remainder of our body as nourishment.

As our blood travels through our lungs some of these molecules will be released into them. Therefore when we exhale our breath will contain some of these offending molecules. As a result we will find that they have bad breath.

Even if you don't have much of a problem with bad breath you have probably noticed that your breath is least pleasant in the morning when you first wake up. This is because during the night a person's mouth will become dry, due to the human body's natural tendency to reduce salivary flow when a person sleeps. This same souring effect is sometimes noticed by teachers, lawyers, and anyone else whose mouth has become dry after having to speak for a prolonged period of time. Additionally, people who breathe through their mouth, are fasting, or else are under stress can find that they have comparatively dry mouths and therefore persistent problems with breath odors.

One explanation for this is that the moisture found in our mouth helps to cleanse it. The presence of oral fluids encourages us to swallow. With each swallow we take we wash away bacteria, as well as the food and debris on which they feed. This same moisture also dilutes and washes away the waste products that oral bacteria produce.

Another factor is that saliva should be considered to be a special form of mouth moisture. It's the body's natural mouth rinse. Beyond the washing and diluting effect that any oral moisture can provide, saliva has the added benefit that it contains compounds that kill oral bacteria and buffer their waste products. So, when our mouth becomes dry all of the benefits that all types of oral moisture can produce are reduced. The net result is that the conditions for bacterial growth are enhanced while the neutralization of bacterial waste products is lessened.

Some people have chronically dry mouths. This condition is termed "xerostomia." Xerostomia can be a side effect of the medication a person is taking. Antihistamines (allergy and cold medications), antidepressants, blood pressure agents, diuretics, narcotics, or anti-anxiety medications are each known to produce xerostomia.

Another contributing factor associated with xerostomia is a person's age. It is commonplace that as people age they find that chronic mouth dryness becomes more and more of a problem. With age our salivary glands tend to work less effectively, and the composition of our saliva changes too. Both of these factors create a situation where the effects of salivary cleansing and buffering are reduced.

Compounding problems associated with mouth dryness, people who suffer from xerostomia are more at risk for having periodontal disease ("gum disease"). Periodontal disease is a causative factor for bad breath.

What are some steps that can help to minimize problems with bad breath?

Drink plenty of water.
Insuring that you drink plenty of water throughout the day can help to control bad breath (halitosis). This can be an especially important consideration for those people who suffer from xerostomia (chronically dry mouths).

If you allow yourself to become dehydrated your body will try to conserve moisture by reducing its production of saliva. Saliva has a cleansing and diluting effect on the bacteria and bacterial waste products that cause bad breath. A reduction in the amount of saliva in your mouth can make it harder for you to control odors associated with your breath.


Rinse your mouth with water often.
Rinsing with water can mitigate bad breath problems for brief periods of time. Rinsing will both dilute and partially remove the bacterial waste products that are the cause of breath odors.


Stimulate your mouth's flow of saliva.
You can help to minimize bad breath odors by stimulating your body's flow of saliva. This is because saliva has a cleansing and diluting effect on the bacteria and bacterial waste products that cause bad breath.

One way to stimulate salivary flow is to chew on something. Doing so will trick your body in to thinking that it is getting a meal. And in preparation for digesting this meal your body will increase its production of saliva. You might choose to chew on cloves, fennel seeds, or a piece of mint or parsley.

Chewing gum, breath mints, or lozenges can also be used to stimulate salivary flow. If you elect to use one of these products make sure it is sugar-free since sweets will promote the growth of bacteria that cause tooth decay.


Clean your mouth well, especially after eating foods high in protein content.
The bacterial waste products that cause of bad breath are produced when oral anaerobic bacteria digest proteins. After you eat a meal or snack, especially one that is high in protein content, make sure you clean your mouth promptly and thoroughly. Doing so will minimize the amount of food, and the period of time this food is available, for the bacteria that can cause bad breath.