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August 6th Is National Fresh Breath Day
Do you have confidence in your breath? Do you have the kind of breath that is always fresh and kissable? If so, you are ready because this week, on August 6th the nation will observe National Fresh Breath Day!
Many people suffer from bad breath. Telling someone you love or interact with on a daily basis such as a co-worker or close friend that his or her breath is offensive can be quite difficult and embarrassing. But a true friend or caring loved one should muster up the courage and advise when action should be taken to freshen up.
Many people are not aware of the reasons why they may suffer from bad breath. Over 70% of bad breath originate from the tongue. People with bad breath may observe a white or yellow coating on the tongue. This coating is known as tongue plaque. Tongue plaque consists of sulfur producing bacteria that hides in the tongues crevices to create odor. Since the tongue is the home of our taste buds, people with bad breath may also observe a sour taste in their mouths. Cleaning your tongue should be a regular part of your daily routine. Plaque also forms at the gumline and creeps underneath the gums to hide and cause odor. If this plaque is not removed with proper brushing and flossing an odor may form.
Consumers spend billions of dollars yearly on mouth rinses, breath sprays, chewing gum, and breath mints in effort to keep fresh breath. Most over the counter products, however, do not eliminate bad breath because they don't contain the active ingredients needed to neutralize or kill the sulfur-producing bacteria. Rather, the popular over the counter fresh breath products are designed mainly to hide bad breath temporarily. If you are going to rely on products, you need to use a line of products that are safe and contain agents that will fight the odor-producing bacteria in your mouth. There are a few lines of fresh breath products on the market that can be purchased directly from your dentist. BreathRx is a popular line of products, which contains Zytex as their active ingredient to kill oral bacteria that cause bad breath. Breath Remedy is another line that uses OraSan to fight bad breath. Oxyfresh and Retardex are other lines of products that contain Chlorine Dioxide to destroy odorous sulfur compounds.
Warning: most over-the-counter mouth rinses (example-Listerine and Scope) contain more than 25% alcohol. Clinical studies indicate that mouth rinses containing more than 25% alcohol can increase the risk of oral cancer by up to 60%. This means that those who use these products on a regular basis are choosing to temporarily treat their bad breath with the risk of developing cancer in their mouth! In addition, tong term use of alcohol containing mouth rinses can dry the mouth tissue, which can also lead to increased halitosis. Breath sprays, mints, and chewing gums not only temporarily mask bad breath, but also contain sugar that can cause cavities.
Here are Dr. Austin's tips for maintaining long lasting fresh breath:
* Brush all surfaces of your teeth at least twice a day to reduce the bacteria in your mouth. Electric toothbrushes are the most effective brushes for removing odorous plaque. Brush 2-3 times throughout the day to maintain the freshest breath.
* Floss in between your teeth daily to remove hidden odorous bacteria
* Clean your tongue daily to remove the tongue plaque that appears as a yellow or white coating. Tongue scrappers are much more effective than toothbrushes in lifting and removing bacteria from the tongue.
* Rinse daily with an alcohol free mouth rinse to reduce bacteria counts and freshen your breath without causing harm to your oral tissues.
* Refresh your breath throughout the day with sugar free mints, sugar free chewing gum, and alcohol free breath sprays.
* Most importantly, visit your dentist every 6 months for professional teeth cleaning and check up. A dentist can detect signs of gum disease, cavities, tongue plaque, and decayed fillings, which are all factors that contribute to bad breath.
For more information about fresh breath treatment, please call Dr. Catrise L. Austin at 212-262-6054 or visit her on the World Wide Web at www.vipsmiles.com. Her office is located at 119 West 57th Street in New York City.
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