Not long ago, one of my female patients told me what an ordeal it was
to film a bedroom scene with her super-hot, handsome leading man. I couldn’t imagine why until she confided
that he had really bad breath. Luckily,
she got through the scene by offering him some gum when they were on a
break. Because I’m often inches from my patients’ faces when I’m examining
them, I’m obsessive about having fresh breath. Aside from breath mints and gum,
here’s what you can do to freshen up your breath:
-
Brush and
floss.
Brush after eating and before going to bed, and floss once a day to remove food
particles that can decompose and attract bacteria. Try fighting bad breath by combining toothpaste and mouthwash in one product.
-
Watch your
diet. What
you eat affects the way your breath smells, so avoid foods like onions and garlic,
which contain sulfur compounds that give them — and your breath
— a strong odor. Cheese, orange juice, and soda (including diet soda)
can also cause bad breath.
-
Think
ahead. If
I'm on the go and I know I won't have time to brush after lunch, I'll pack a
Colgate Wisp — a disposable mini toothbrush that comes with
toothpaste and can be used without water. Wisps are available in three flavors
— peppermint, spearmint, and cinnamint .
- Drink
water. Even
if you don't eat for hours, at least drink water to help wash away food
particles and bacteria. In fact, people get "morning breath" because
there's less saliva in their mouths during the night to wash away bacteria.
-
Pop a
pill. Some
of my patients swear by MintAssure, an all-natural breath pill that contains
parsley seed oil and natural peppermint flavoring.Believe me ,it works wonders in fighting bad breath.
-
Go to the
dentist.
Regular dental checkups and professional cleanings help prevent tooth decay and
gum infection — two conditions that can cause bad odors in your
mouth.
If you follow all these
tips but still have bad breath (or someone close to you does), talk to a
doctor. An underlying medical condition, such as a sinus or lung infection,
postnasal drip, or diabetes, may be to blame.
