good morning. bad breath? been there + done with that

The medical term for bad breath is halitosis, but you may be more familiar with it as the thing that you get paranoid about when talking to your crush. To understand how to best combat this common issue it is important to understand the different potential causes of bad breath.

The most common cause of a smelly mouth is bad oral hygiene. The buildup of plaque, bacteria, and food between the teeth, on the tongue, and around the gums can often lead to an unpleasant odor.

People who experience stomach issues, such as acid reflux, may also experience bad breath due to the backup of stomach fluid, which can contain an odor. Another cause may be your individual saliva’s reaction to certain foods. Not every mouth is the same and the composition of one person’s mouth may be more acidic or alkaline than another’s. This, in addition to the presence of certain bacteria or a virus or even a fungus in the mouth, can react with the food you eat to cause an odor.

If you think you may be experiencing an infection, stomach issues, or any other serious cause of bad breath, seek out the help of a medical professional like your dentist or doctor.

The most important thing you can do at home to combat bad breath is to practice good oral hygiene. That means floss in between all of your teeth EVERY day, brush your teeth thoroughly TWICE a day, and make sure to brush your tongue, too. By keeping the bacteria, and the food that it feeds on in your mouth, to a minimum, you can prevent the annoying stink.