Question : I BRUSH my teeth twice a day. I use floss to clean in between my teeth, yet my breath smells bad. Please advice.

Answer : THERE are many causes of bad breath. It can result from the inflammation of the gums, infection or ulceration of the mouth and tongue. Smoking also increases the risk of nasal and sinus infections, which may cause bad breath. Tooth decay or decaying food particles lodged between the teeth and indigestion can affect your breath too. Bad breath sometimes is also a symptom of an underlying disease.

You can start by making changes to your diet and lifestyle. Cut down on wine, beer and other alcoholic beverages. They leave a residue in the mouth that alters breath odour. Avoid foods with relatively high sulphur content like garlic and onions as they can create a lingering breath odour.

Eat fresh parsley or alfalfa after having onions and other odorous foods. Parsley and alfalfa, which are packed with chlorophyll, are effective herbal breath fresheners. Avoid the use of alcohol-based mouthwashes. The alcohol dries the mouth and slows down saliva production that actually helps to keep mouth fresh.

Try adding three to four drops of tea tree oil in a glass of salt water to use as a gargle. Drink at least eight glasses of water to help prevent a dry mouth. Fruit juice is also helpful in stimulating saliva secretion.

Improve bowel movements by consuming more fibre. Take small frequent meals to allow proper digestion. This is to minimise the occurrence of fermentation on the undigested foods by harmful bacteria that can bring about flatulence and bad breath. Learn to relax as prolonged stress can affect normal digestion and result in bad breath too.

Probiotics that contains Lactobacilli, Bifidobacteria and Streptococcus can help improve the digestive system and eradicate bad breath. Milk thistle and dandelion improve liver function by cleansing the liver of dangerous toxins and helping in detoxification.

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