Ask My Dentists: How can I brighten my smile?

At My Dentists, we see lots of patients concerned about bad breath. So our staff thought we'd educate you about what you can do to really keep your chompers clean and breath minty fresh!

Naturally, good oral health and hygiene is the first step. With proper brushing and regular dental checkups you can keep bad breath (halitosis) in check.

Certain foods, medications, smoking, sinus issues, or even gum disease cause most bad breath. If the stink lingers for longer than 24 hours, you should see us at My Dentists. It might be something more serious, like dehydration, zinc deficiency, diabetes, liver failure, kidney failure, or even certain kinds of cancers!

In the meantime, here are some home remedies to keep you smiling bright:

Spice Up Your Life: Snack on some cloves, fennel, or anise after each particularly odorous snack.

Don’t forget the tongue: Lots of people brush their teeth regularly, but leave the tongue alone. One of the main causes of bad breath is food and plaque residue on the surface of your tongue. So give it a nice gentle brush-over too!

Watch your drinking habits: The worst options are coffee, wine, whiskey, and beer.

Frequent brushing: Carry a toothbrush with you so brushing after each meal is convenient and refreshing! Trust us, you’ll love the way it makes you feel. If you can’t brush, still swish around a couple sips of water to remove any lingering food.

Make your own Gargle: Gargling with a home mixture of sage, calendula, and myrrh gum extracts four times a day should ward off that bad breath potential.

Parsley’s there for a reason: Finish your parsley after you finish your dinner and you’ll find a refreshing breath enhancer. Hate the texture? Throw a couple sprigs in a blender to sip after each meal.

Sugarless Gum: Always a good idea to carry some mints or sugarless gum for that quick spruce up before you meet the boss.

Don’t cut that cheese: The stronger the cheese, the stinkier your breath can become. Think about blue cheese and Roquefort? They really get the party started in your mouth and it’s hard to make them leave!

We hope these tips help! Give us a call at (704) 375-8577 if you have any questions and have a nice and relaxing weekend!