Fix Bad Morning Breath
Posted on 7/4/2022 by Evan |
You can think of your mouth as a virtual Petri dish for biology and lifestyle. Let's start with the biology: Every mouth harbors bacteria, both good and bad. They live their entire lives inside of us. As bacteria, they are born, produce waste, eat, and die in our mouths. We need both good and bad bacteria, as gross as that sounds. Now, your lifestyle: The food you eat, how often you brush, and alcohol and tobacco use can increase the risk of bad bacteria. These bacteria combust into bad breath when they are left to simmer in eight hours of sleep. No worries. It's normal to have bad breath in the morning. It's also unlike halitosis, which is a chronic bad breath condition you can't cure with a good brushing and mouthwash.
Morning Breath Causes
Onions, garlic, and other spices cause bad breath more than other foods. Eating these foods close to bedtime increases your chances of smelling in the morning. Saliva is your mouth's natural deodorizer and cleaner. It helps break down bacteria and clean away food particles. People with dry mouth experience even greater reductions in saliva production during sleep. When there is less saliva to clean your mouth, bacteria will breed. For good oral health, brushing twice a day is crucial. If you don't floss before bed, you can leave food particles in your mouth that cause bad breath. It is hard to avoid bad breath and gum disease if you don't brush and floss diligently. When you smoke, you inhale particles of smoke. Several hours after you smoke, the chemicals in tobacco remain in your mouth. Smoking increases your risk of gum disease as well.
Get Rid of Morning Breath
There is some bit of morning breath that is normal, so you cannot completely avoid it. Once you've awoken, you may take steps to lessen its impact and eventually eliminate it. Spend no less than two minutes cleaning your teeth. Set a timer. It is more effective to wash away leftover food for two minutes than than a few fast swipes. You won't get the outcomes you seek if you don't floss. Brushing removes only 60 percent of food particles. The remaining 40% is eliminated by flossing. Flossing before bed is critical because food may fester in the mouth for hours during sleep if there are no liquids or saliva to wash it away. Fresh herbs, such as parsley, basil, mint, or cilantro, contain chlorophyll, which helps to mask smells. Anise, fennel seeds, and cloves also have antibacterial effects and help to keep your breath fresh. Keep a glass of water next your bed if you wake up in the middle of the night with a dry mouth. Water will stimulate your saliva and wash away your musty breath.
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