Being a personal trainer in NYC I’m around people all day, from training to commuting in the subways. And today was probably one of those bad new york city commuting days- stuffed in the train, standing face to face with a mouther breather that has some stank breath! While I’m sure this person won’t be reading this, writing this post will at least make feel some what better that I’ve done my part on hopefully preventing others from going through this. :p
So let’s jump into it!
Causes of Bad Breath
Bad breath can be caused through many things such as:
- Dirty mouth- “Mouth odor is like any other body odor—the result of microbes living in the body giving off byproducts” says Dr. Price of the American Dental Association (ADA). Don’t clean your mouth properly and that bacteria will build up = stinky breath.
- Dry mouth- Saliva helps keep the mouth clean of bacteria but if have dry mouth this will help multiple bacteria = stink breath.
- Sick- having a bronchitis, sinusitis, or the common cold can help feed even more bacteria to your mouth and throat = you know what 😡
How to Fix Bad Breath
The basic principles to keep your breath nice and minty is to keep it clean and moist. Here are few tips to hopefully keep your personal training clients and fellow NYC commuters happy and sane 😛
Brush Your Teeth and Floss DAILY
The combination (brushing and flossing) helps remove food particles between teeth that would otherwise remain and promote bacterial growth around the gums, between teeth, and on the tongue. Therefore, it’s recommended to brush at least twice a day and floss once- in the morning and at a night time. Keep in mind that it’s highly recommenced that you should wait at least 30 minutes after eating before you brush your teeth. The time past will give your saliva a chance to neutralize the acid and prevent softening the enamel.
I recommend the “Sonicare Tooth Brush”. Trust me, it’s not any ordinary tooth brush, give it a shot and you’ll seriously feel a big difference.
Hydrate
Drinking water helps prevent your mouth from being dry and helps wash down odor causing bacteria and food particles. Not only does hydrating help prevent bad breath but it also helps you lose weight, feel better, and look better!
Chew Gum
As we talked about, we want to keep stimulating saliva to help flush out the bacteria, chewing gum can help with this. Gum thats have REAL natural ingredients such as cinnamon, peppermint, and spearmint oils are found to be the most effective for dealing with bad breath bacteria.
Mouth Wash
Surprsingly the mouth wash is as highly touted as the marketing commerials may state. Mouth wash seems to only temporarily relieve bad breath- brushing your teeth, flossing, and hydrating does a much better long term job. With that said though, mouth wash can help add protection against cavities, periodontal disease, and protect your toot enamel.
Final Thoughts
Keep in mind that these are just tips to help fight off bad breath and does not replace what any DDC will recommend. In the mean time give it a shot and hopefully the next time you talk to someone they won’t pass out :p.
P.S. it’s recommended that you goto the dentist every 6 months for regular cleanings.
Keep that breath fresh!