Everyone wants to have fresh breath. There’s nothing more mortifying than having others react negatively when you’re up close, or having others tell you that your breath is stinky. Ideally, if you practice good oral hygiene, you never have to worry about having bad breath. Unfortunately, sometimes other factors come into play and your breath ends up being less than ideal. Here are four things you can do for fresh breath

1. Get Regular Dental Cleanings

Plaque and tartar on your teeth are odorous. One of the things your dental cleanings accomplish is getting rid of plaque and tartar on teeth, especially near the gum line. If you commit to having a minimum of twice yearly dental cleanings, you’ll have a much higher chance of having fresh breath.

2. Use a Tongue Scraper

Many dentists in Renton, WA won’t talk about tongue scrapers as part of good oral hygiene, but these little gadgets are great at scraping away odorous saliva that’s landed on your tongue. Just one or two gentle scrapes each time you brush your teeth will do the trick.

3. Use Mouthwash

An ADA-approved antimicrobial mouthwash is great for rinsing away smelly food debris and killing bacteria in the mouth that are responsible for bad breath. It’s fine to get one that’s flavored with peppermint or spearmint, as long as it’s germ-fighting and carries that ADA seal on the label. As long as you avoid swallowing it, you can use it as often as you like to get that fresh breath sensation.

4. Look to Prescription Medication Side Effects

There are many prescription medications that have bad breath as a side effect. Carefully review any medication you’re taking and see if that might be the culprit. Talk to your prescribing physician for alternatives.

If you’d like to talk to yourdentist in Renton, WAabout other possible causes of bad breath, book an appointment today with Cedar Dental Group.