If you suffer from bad breath, you’re not alone. It’s reported that more than 25% of Americans suffer from chronic bad breath, also known medically as “halitosis.” Whether it was the onion bagel you had at lunch or your morning coffee, there are a number of things that can cause bad breath — and it’s not always food related. Dry mouth, dental issues and even ailments like sinusitis can all contribute to building up bad bacteria in your mouth. Of course smokers are prone to it too, as the smoke and tobacco can counteract the “good” saliva helping to swirl and clean out your oral glands.
You already know you should be brushing your teeth or swishing some Scope, but there are a number of other easy hacks that can help fight bad breath too. They’re all super affordable, available over the counter, and can be ordered discreetly and easily online. We’ve rounded up nine helpful ways to make sure you never have an embarrassing halitosis hit again.
1. Brush Your Teeth
It may seem obvious, but sticking to a healthy brushing habit makes it difficult for bacteria that cause bad breath to grow. Put a stop to bad breath by brushing your teeth twice a day. It’s a guaranteed approach to keeping breath fresh by removing plaque and food debris that cause the odor. Grab a pack of Colgate’s Peppermint Wisp Max Fresh Mini Brush so you can brush your teeth anytime, anywhere.
2. Floss Daily
Flossing with Oral B Mint Glide Pro-Health Comfort Plus Floss is a gentle and effective way to remove food debris and plaque build up between your teeth and below the gum line. Food debris can attract bacteria, causing bad breath.
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3. Water Jets
Another effective way to battle bad breath are water jets. Upgrading your oral hygiene routine one step further from traditional flossing, dental water jets, like the Waterpik Ultra Water Flosser, provide a unique combination of water pressure and pulsations to clean deep between teeth and gums. These devices are known to reduce bad breath culprits like plaque, gingivitis and gum disease. Water jets are ideal for anyone with braces or dental implants, and those with crowns, bridges and veneers.
4. Use a Mouthwash
If you’re pressed for time, try adding a 30-second rinse with Listerine Cool Mint Antiseptic Mouthwash to your morning and evening routine. Rinsing with mouthwash will give you up to 24-hour protection against germs that cause bad breath, plaque and gingivitis.
5. Scrape Your Tongue
The Orabrush Tongue Cleaner banishes bad breath with specially designed bristles that loosen bad breath germs from your tongue (Note: much like a rug you step on all day, your tongue is where a lot of the bad breath-causing bacteria live)
6. Skip the Mints, Chew Sugarless Gum
Bacteria loves sugar and this partnership leads to the creation of damaging oral acids. Sugar-induced oral acidity is one of the leading causes of bad breath, and can eventually erode your teeth enamel. So the next time you reach for sugary mints, try sucking on a piece of sugarless candy or chew sugarless gum instead. Chewing a sugar-free gum will also help stimulate saliva flow, which will help wash away food debris and bacteria that cause bad breath.
7. Wet Your Whistle
Did you know you can get tooth decay and bad breath if you don’t make enough saliva? Dry mouth can be caused by a number of things including certain prescription medications, environmental changes and even stress. If your mouth is dry, make sure to drink plenty of water (six to eight, 8-ounce glasses) daily to help keep your mouth lubricated. Turning on a humidifier like the Vornado Whole Room Ultrasonic Humidifier at night will also help moisten dry air in your home.
8. Denture Care
If you wear dentures, retainers and other dental appliances, soak them in Polident Denture Cleaner Overnight Tablets to remove tough stains, fight plaque buildup and kill 99.9% of odor-causing bacteria so you can start and end your day with fresh breath and a confident smile.
9. Freshen Up
This dentist formulated, mild mint mouthwash works fasts and lasts long, neutralizing sulfur-producing bacteria to give your fresh breath. Keep one at home to use before bedtime to prevent morning breath and another at your desk to freshen up throughout the day.