Bad breath and dirty teeth don’t usually inspire others to get close to you but there are things you can do to help yourself!
1/ Use lip salve. It’s cold and windy out there. Cracked, bleeding lips don’t look attractive and can even stop you cleaning your teeth properly if they hurt when you open your mouth. Protect your lips when you go out (and that means you too guys!)
2/ Drink lots of water. Dehydration can cause bad breath so make sure you’re getting enough to drink; up to 8 glasses of water a day. That helps your saliva neutralise the odour producing bacteria in your mouth but it really does have to be water!
3/ Don’t drink too much coffee or other caffeine-containing drinks. They dry out your mouth and stain your teeth. Think what the inside of your coffee pot looks like (and smells like!)
4/ Avoid alcohol. Just like coffee alcohol dries out the mouth and allows odour-causing bacteria to thrive. That includes alcohol in mouth washes. Choose an alcohol-free product for the best effect.
5/ Eat sensibly. If you’re still struggling with that New Year low carb diet give it a miss for a while. Strict diets can lead to the production of ketones in the breath which smell horrible! Eat regularly and don’t skip meals if you want your breath to stay fresh.
6/ Stop smoking. If your mouth tastes like an ashtray to you it definitely will to others! Just one of the reasons to quit.
7/ Avoid garlic and other strong tasting foods before a date. Even if you find them delicious chances are your partner won’t…..
8/ Brush your teeth regularly and clean between them. Bits of food left between your teeth don’t improve with time. Get rid of them!
9/ Clean your tongue. If your tongue is furred it’s probably housing millions of bad-breath bacteria. Use a soft toothbrush or tongue scraper to gently clean it.
10/ Finish a meal with cheese or live yogurt which can help boost the ‘good’ bacteria in your mouth. Crunchy fresh fruit is also good as it helps remove plaque from the surfaces of your teeth.
Avenue Road offer cosmetic and general dental services. Call us on 01983 759567 to find out more.
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