If you want to know how to prevent bad breath, you need to look no further than your oral health. Keeping your mouth healthy is one of the keys to dealing with bad breath, as bad breath is almost always caused by a buildup of bacteria in your mouth. However, one of the primary causes of bad breath is gum disease, also known as periodontitis. If you find yourself with bad breath, it may be because you’ve allowed your gums to get infected. By preventing infections of your gums, you can nip bad breath in the bud.
How to Prevent Bad Breath: Understanding Gum Disease
Gum disease can be caused by many things, but the results are almost always the same. The disease can be caused by bacteria building up on food left in your mouth for too long, and you will find that it can be quite painful when your gums swell up. The gums become very inflamed, and it can actually spread to the bones around your teeth if it becomes more serious.
You will notice the first signs of gum disease when you see a plaque forming on your teeth, and this sticky, white substance will basically coat your teeth. You must take immediate steps to brush your teeth and floss, as that is how you will be able to get rid of the plaque before it worsens. If the plaque is left untreated, it will harden and turn into tartar – something that is much more difficult to get rid of. If you don’t take steps to treat the problem, it may turn into gingivitis. This gum disease may be mild, but it can worsen if it is left unchecked. For this reason, you should take care to deal with any problems at the first sign of development.
How to Prevent Bad Breath: Symptoms of Gum Disease
It will be very hard not to notice when you have gum disease, but you may think that it’s oral thrush, an infection in your mouth, or the result of a very bad cold. However, if you notice any of the symptoms listed below, it’s definitely gum disease:
- Your gums are very red and very swollen
- You find that your gums bleed when you brush or floss them
- Your gums are receding, which means they’re moving away from your teeth
- You have bad breath all the time, even after brushing, rinsing your mouth, and eating a breath mint
- The spaces between your teeth are widening, and your teeth feel lose in your mouth
If you notice any of these things, it’s time to get yourself to a dentist and get immediate help to deal with your gum disease.
How to Prevent Bad Breath: Treating and Preventing Gum Disease
If you want to ensure that your mouth stays healthy, it’s important that you know what you can do to both treat and prevent gum disease. Here are some of the more common remedies for gum disease:
Cranberry Juice – Cranberry juice is more than just a liquid that you can use as a mouthwash, but it’s an antiseptic – meaning it will help to prevent infections. Cranberry juice is used to treat many infections simply because it’s a very strong liquid, and it has properties that will help to kill bacteria and yeast. If you drink cranberry juice regularly, it will help to prevent the bacteria in your mouth from clinging to your teeth and causing the infection.
Vitamin D –Vitamin D has been proven to help improve your body’s defenses against gum disease, and taking this supplement can actually stop you from developing the problem in the first place. You can get a lot of Vitamin D from the sun, and just spending a few minutes in the sun every day can go a long way towards preventing gum disease.
Vitamin C – Vitamin C is the antioxidant that will give your immune system a kick, and you’ll find that it will help to prevent infections all over your body. Vitamin C deficiency is one of the primary causes of gum disease, so getting enough of this vital vitamin is very important. You can get lots of Vitamin C from citrus fruits, as well as from dark green vegetables. You may want to consider adding a vitamin C supplement to your diet, or start drinking a cup of sugar-free natural lemonade every day.
Tea Tree Oil – Tea tree oil is one of the most powerful antiseptic and cleansing agents on the planet, which is why it has to be watered down so much in order to be safe to use. You will find that using a tea tree oil gel on your gums will help to cure the problem, and you can deal with your gum infection naturally using this gel. It won’t work as quickly as the medications, but it will definitely help to stop your gums bleeding and deal with the gingivitis.
CQ10 – Coenzyme Q10 has become a topic of much debate in recent years, as it’s an antioxidant that has proven to be very effective for a number of things. One of them is dealing with infections. The enzyme is needed to repair the tissue in your gums, and using it in the form of a toothpaste can help to reduce the infection and swelling.
Reducing Stress – Surprisingly, stress has been linked to gum disease, so fighting your stress can help to fight your gum disease. Stress causes higher chances that your gums will bleed and plaque will form, so it’s always a good idea to reduce your stress.
It’s amazing how dealing with your gum disease will cure your bad breath problems very easily, so it’s time to break out those natural cures for gum disease! You will find that your gum disease can be treated easily, and your breath will smell so much better once you’ve gotten rid of the problem. If you want to know how to prevent bad breath, prevent gum disease first!
