How to Avoid Bad Breath over Christmas and New Year

Christmas is a time for socialising and enjoying time with your family and friends, the last thing you want to do is worry about bad breath.

We are unable to smell our own breath so the only signs that you do have bad breath is when people turn away when you are talking to them, pull a funny face or touch their nose.   If you aren’t lucky enough to have a friend or family member to confide in and ask about your breath, then you have to try and prevent it happening in the first place.  Here is how you can do that.

1. Make sure you have a good oral care routine. This involves: Use ProFresh Mouthwash, tongue scrape, ProFresh Mouthwash again, brush teeth for 2 minutes with a fluoride toothpaste.
2. Food can be trapped between teeth and will putrify if not removed.  Always use interdental brushes or floss.
3. Use an antibacterial mouthwash like ProFresh.  Most mouthwashes simply mask bad breath and some contain alcohol which dry the mouth out making bad breath worse.
4. Tongue scraping – cleaning your tongue is so important.  Bacteria collects on the tongue and and this needs to be removed each time you brush.  Don’t scrape too hard however, as this will damage the surface of the tongue and make it sore.
5. Avoiding strong smelling foods such as garlic, onion and spices.  If you do eat these foods, if possible rinse your mouth with mouthwash and brush your teeth. Dairy in particular (look out for the cheeseboards!)  isn’t great for the breath. Dairy products can increase mucus secretion in the sinuses, leading to post nasal drip (which gets stuck on the back of the tongue)  and it’s possible that excessive dairy consumption can leave to low level infection (sinusitis). Sinus infection is another potential cause of halitosis.
6. Alcohol.  It’s hard to avoid over the festive period but if you can’t resist then try and drink a glass of water for every alcoholic drink you have.  This not only keeps your mouth lubricated but it might help with the hangover too!
7. Excessive consumption of coffee will have an effect on your breath, try and cut down as much as you can.
8. You can have the most immaculate oral care routine but if you smoke then your breath, clothes, hands and hair will smell.  So you know what to do!
9. Make sure you visit the dentist and hygienist regularly. Gum disease and tooth decay has an affect on the breath.
10. If you have ticked every box on this list and you are still suffering with bad breath then you need to visit your dentist and your doctor as there may be a medical problem you aren’t aware of.

If you want to enjoy the festive period with confidence in your breath then use ProFresh Mouthwash.  It’s antibacterial and destroys 99% of volatile sulphur gases and compounds.  For fresh breath on the go then use the ProFresh Quick Spray Bottle, this pocket sized bottle will enable you to get rid of the bacteria that causes bad breath wherever you are.