If you regularly suffer from halitosis, you may be concerned that your breath is offending the people around you. Bad breath is often caused by volatile sulfur compounds (VSCs) that are released by anaerobic bacteria in the mouth. Thus, your breath is not simply dependent on the spices and foods that you ingest.

There are multiple measures that you can take in addition to brushing and flossing to help keep bad breath at bay. Here are a few of them:

Tongue Cleaner

The curved structure of a tongue cleaner is made to evenly scrape the contours of your tongue, removing bacteria, food particles and fungi that may affect your breath. The tongue cleaner reaches toward the back of the mouth to effectively scrape a large area of the tongue as you rake the device forward.

It is best to use a tongue cleaner prior to brushing and flossing. This can help ensure that you don't accidentally swallow the debris that you have dislodged from your tongue. Additionally, although you may be tempted to simply brush your tongue each morning with your toothbrush, a toothbrush does not clean the tongue as effectively as a tongue cleaner. The bristles of the brush are better suited for the hard surfaces of your teeth.

Antibacterial Mouth Rinse

In order for mouthwash to effectively prevent bad breath, it should be antibacterial. Some types of mouthwash do not contain antibacterial agents and only mask bad breath momentarily with heavy fragrances.

To effectively keep bad breath that stems from the microbial populations in your mouth at bay, use an antibacterial mouthwash that is alcohol-free. Alcohol can be drying to the tissues of the mouth, and the lack of saliva can exacerbate bad breath. There are multiple mouth rinses available that contain antibacterial agents, such as chlorhexidine, to help control the bacteria in the mouth without the use of alcohol.

Cinnamon-flavored Gum

Gum that is flavored with cinnamon can help freshen the breath due to the antibacterial action of the cinnamaldehydes that are present in the spice. Still, it is best for the gum to be sugarless. Simple sugars found in regular gum can help feed oral bacteria and make your breath worse. For an additional boost, consider sugarless gum that is sweetened with xylitol, a natural sweetener that is also antimicrobial.

To learn more ways to keep your breath fresh, schedule an appointment with a dentist in your local area. Click here to read more.