Bad Breath: Why? And, How to Prevent It.

Posted by Joshua R. Cochran, DMD, writing from the South Hill of Spokane on November 22, 2011

Where does bad breath come from?

Well, mostly the mouth itself. 87% of bad breath originates in the mouth. The ear, nose and throat comprise about 8% of bad breath cases.

Get those bacteria and food particles out of your mouth. Here are five ways to do just that are not going to shock you:

Use a tongue scraper in the mornings when you brush your teeth. Get all the way to the back of that tongue and gently brush forward a couple times.
Brush your teeth morning and night.
Floss your teeth. There are millions of bacteria building villages (or “militias” as one of my young patients added) in between your teeth and under the gums where the tooth brush does not reach.
Drink water. Water flushes out bacteria, sugar and food particles.
Eat less cheese, garlic, onions and German sausages (this recommendation is purely based off of anecdotal evidence).

Reference: Nogueira G, Pipelines for Halitosis, Oral Health, October 2011, Vol 101, No 10, pg 35-39

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