How to Prevent Bad Breath

Bad breath can be super embarrassing, when you come back from lunch and suddenly you're breathing toxic air all over people. Not to worry! There are things to do and to avoid that will help you prevent bad breath and will help you cover it up if you do have it. See step 1 to get started!

 Part 1 of 2: Preventing Bad Breath Long-Term

1. 
   Brush your teeth properly. Brushing your teeth properly is one of the best things you can do in your fight against bad breath. Brush at least twice a day, for at least 2 minutes and make sure to cover all the areas in your mouth. Especially focus on where the teeth meet the gum.^[1]
   • Use a soft bristled brush and replace it once every 3-4 months.
   • Brush either right before you eat or 1 hour afterwards (otherwise you might damage or erode the enamel of your teeth).
   • Make sure to brush your tongue, because your tongue gets a lot of build-up of bacteria which can cause bad breath. Brush from the back to the front of your tongue and be certain to get the sides, as well. You shouldn't do more than 4 brushes on your tongue and make sure that you don't go too far back.
2. 
   Floss your teeth. Flossing is another huge component to good mouth health, which includes preventing bad breath. Flossing removes the plaque and bacteria build-up from between your teeth, which even the best toothbrushes can't get rid of. Do this at least once a day.
   • When you're flossing you want to focus on where the tooth meets the gum, so make sure that you scrape one way against the tooth and then against the next tooth.
3. 
   Avoid certain foods. Eating certain foods (like garlic or onions, or anything spicy) can make your breath bad simply because they get into your bloodstream and eventually into your lungs, but there are other foods that cause bad breath, too, and that are more prevalent in Western diets.^[2]
   • Avoid sugary foods and drinks. If you need a snack, grab an apple or some protein rather than a candy bar.
   • Avoid acidic drinks. These are bad both for your breath and for the health of your teeth, as acidic drinks can hurt the enamel on your teeth. Avoid sodas as much as possible and if you have to drink them, make sure to drink them quickly without holding them in your mouth.
   • Avoid coffee and alcohol. Both of these drinks provide an environment in your mouth for bacteria growth, which causes bad breath. They also dry out your mouth, which causes the bacteria to linger.
4. 
   Eat certain foods. While avoiding the foods outlined above, there are some foods that you should be eating if you're looking to get rid of and prevent bad breath. Of course, most of these are the good for you fruits and veggies that your parents always made you eat, but there are others as well.^[3]
   • Try eating sugar-free yogurt once a day. Yogurt with good bacteria (probiotic bacteria) prevents bad breath by reducing the levels of bad breath causing sulfide compounds.
   • Stock up on vitamin-D rich foods like salmon, orange juice or eggs, since vitamin-d helps reduce bad breath.
   • Various herbs and spices might be linked to reducing bad breath, as well, because of their chlorophyll, although this is not entirely certain. Try adding cloves, anise, and fennel seeds to your diet.
5. 
   Avoid smoking or chewing tobacco. While there are many reasons to avoid or quit smoking or chewing tobacco (like cancer) bad breath is certainly one of them. The chemicals from the tar and nicotine build up in your mouth and throat and it dries out your mouth so that the bacteria remains in your mouth and throat for longer.^[4]
   • A tobacco habit can also lead to gum disease, which among other more serious things, causes bad breath.
6. 
   Get regular dental check-ups. Going to the dentist is actually super important to maintaining your oral health, which will help prevent and manage your bad breath. Your dentist will notice if your bad breath is caused by something more serious than simply food or drink, or not having brushed properly.
   • If you have a lot of bad breath issues and you're following a strict healthy mouth regime (with brushing and eating properly), then you should definitely make an appointment to see your dentist.

EditPart 2 of 2: Dealing With Bad Breath in the Moment

1. 
   Drink lots of water. One problem that can cause bad breath or make bad breath worse is having a dry mouth. Water is odor-free and helps to flush out the food that bacteria loves. It also helps promote saliva which cleanses the mouth and eliminates the stink-causing substances in food.^[5]
   • Don't use coffee, sodas, or alcohol to cleanse your mouth. They will not help prevent bad breath and, in many causes, are actually the causes of your bad breath.
2. 
   Use sugar-free gum or mints. Like water, sugar-free gums or mints can help speed up the production of saliva in your mouth and help flush out the bad bacteria. They can also cover up bad breath for a short period of time.
   • Make sure that you are using sugar-free gum and mints, though, because sugars can help feed the bad bacteria, which will make your bad breath worse or maintain it at the same level once the gum or mint is gone.
3. 
   Try mouthwash. Mouthwash is another way to deal with the immediate effects of bad breath. This will only provide you with a temporary mask for the bad breath, but that can be enough to get away from people.
   • An antiseptic mouthwash will kill the bad bacteria, so if you get that it will help do more than just mask the bad odor. Look for mouthwashes with hlorhexidine, cetylpyridinium chloride, chlorine dioxide, zinc chloride and triclosan, as these kill bacteria.
   • Avoid using a chlorhexidine-containing mouthwash long-term as this can stain your teeth (although this is reversible). Also, do not give mouthwash to children, especially if they are likely to swallow it.
   • Try not to use mouthwashes with alcohol, especially if you are a kid, it makes your mouth very dry.