Halitosis

If you wear dentures, remove them at night and clean to get rid of bacterial buildup from food and drink. Drink plenty of water and swish cool water around in your mouth. This is especially helpful to freshen “morning breath.” Brush after every meal and floss, preferably twice a day.

If your bad breath is due to a buildup of bacteria (plaque) on your teeth, your dentist may recommend a mouth rinse that kills the bacteria. Your dentist may also recommend a toothpaste that contains an antibacterial agent to kill the bacteria that cause plaque buildup. Treatment of dental disease.

Regular oral hygiene, including interdental cleaning with floss, will help to prevent bad breath. Brush your tongue. The bacteria that cause bad breath are often found on the topside of your tongue. If you can see a white coating on your tongue, you should remove this debris with a tongue cleaner.

So a twice-daily routine of brushing, flossing, and rinsing with an antiseptic mouthwash like LISTERINE® will prevent most forms of bad breath. Make sure to brush your tongue, too. Regular checkups with your dentist are another easy way to help prevent bad breath.

When bad breath is caused by oral problems, it usually smells like rotten eggs. This is caused by the breakdown of cysteine at the front of the tongue or on the gums. It’s a sign of poor oral hygiene. More rarely, dental bad breath can be a fecal odor like odor from the gums or the top of the tongue.

Bad breath can be reduced or prevented if you:

Practice good oral hygiene. Brush twice a day with fluoride toothpaste to remove food debris and plaque.

See your dentist regularly — at least twice a year.

Stop smoking and chewing tobacco-based products.

Drink lots of water.

Keep a log of the foods you eat.