Dealing With Bad Breath Effectively Doesn't Have To Be DifficultDealing with bad breath or halitosis, even if it's just situational and not chronic, can be a real nightmare. Your relationships with family and friends can start to get a little weird. That job or promotion, for which you knew beyond any shadow of a doubt you were a lock, suddenly goes to someone else. You don't get the kind of customer service to which you've become accustomed. When you're trying to cope with halitosis, there's an awful lot at stake.So let's say you're one of the lucky ones. You have someone in your life who loves you and is not afraid to be honest with you. Now that you're aware of the problem, what do you do? Where do you go? To whom should you turn? You might start with some additional brushing of teeth and a "good" mouthwash. That's one way of dealing with bad breath. But there are problems with that approach. Your toothpaste most likely contains Sodium Lauryl Sulfate (SLS) which offers no oral health benefits whatsoever. Its chemical function is to aid the mixing of water-based and oil-based ingredients. But SLS has an even larger marketing function which is to bubble and foam, making you think that something spectacular is happening in your mouth. The truth is that SLS dries out oral tissue. Toothpastes which contain SLS contribute to dry mouth. When your mouth is dry, there is less oxygen-rich saliva to help keep anaerobic bacteria under control. And when the bacteria get out of control, your breath gets worse. Avoid using any toothpaste which contains SLS. Then there's that "good" mouthwash you just started using. What a waste of money! First of all, if it contains alcohol, you're going to dry your mouth out further, and as you already know, a dry mouth provides an excellent breeding ground for the anaerobic bacteria which cause bad breath. Even if the mouthwash you've chosen is alcohol-free, its benefit is only temporary. Another problem with mouthwashes is that nearly all of them mask the odor rather than eliminate it. If your breath is bad enough, it still will not smell fresh. The bottom line is that most commercial mouthwashes provide a poor solution for dealing with bad breath. Another approach is to see your dentist and/or doctor. You could even end up visiting both. When the dentist doesn't find anything wrong, he may refer you to your doctor for tests to see if there's a medical condition causing your halitosis. Sadly, what's most likely going to happen is that you're going to get the run-around as neither of these professionals are prepared to handle your situation. Finally, you might do as so many people do these days for any problem. You might turn to the Internet. Oh, okay... apparently you've already done that. And since there's so much (almost too much) information available on the "Misinformation Superhighway" you're lucky you found this site. Kiss-Bad-Breath-Goodbye.com contains the sum of my own experience dealing with bad breath. Yes... I've been in your position, and I can tell you what works and what doesn't when it comes to controlling unpleasant mouth odors. My first recommendation is probably the one thing your dentist told you that is correct. You have to practice good oral hygiene. You should also watch what you eat, and make sure you drink plenty of water. If you have to drink coffee, do it in moderation and avoid alcohol altogether. And if you're serious about dealing with bad breath, please don't smoke. For complete details, read my article on prevention,
Fourteen Guidelines To Help You Prevent Bad Breath.
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Please CommentI created this Web site in August 2006 to help others avoid the consequences of bad breath and other oral hygiene problems. Thank you one and all for helping it become the success it is today. And a big thank you, as well, to the "SBI!" software that made it possible.
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