How to Keep Your Breath Fresh: Brush and Floss Your Teeth

Just like the dentist always said, frequent brushing and daily flossing will help maintain good oral health, not to mention fresh breath. Caution: If your gums bleed frequently during flossing, you may have gingivitis or periodontal disease-both of which can produce vile breath and demand treatment by a dentist or periodontist.

Brush and scrape your tongue

Your tongue is like a deep-pile carpet, covered with tiny cavities that harbor bacteria with bad intentions. Brush your tongue with your toothbrush at the same time you brush your teeth. If you still have noxious breath, use a tongue scraper. These devices are made of thin plastic or rubber and are dragged over the surface of the tongue to dig the bacteria out. You also can use the edge of a spoon. Be careful not to gag.

Cure your cold

Postnasal drip leaves a thick mucous in the back of the mouth and throat that is rich with sulfuric proteins-it stinks. (This phlegmy blanket also gives bacteria a place to hide from mouthwashes.) If you are experiencing postnasal drip, take decongestants and antihistamines-and blow your nose.

Keep it wet

After reaching age 25, people secrete less saliva than before. A dry mouth means less oxygen and bacterial production, which means...well, you already know. To increase salivary production, drink a lot of water or chew gum.

Change your diet

Everyone knows garlic and raw onions can cause bad breath, but not in the way people think. They are absorbed into the bloodstream through the stomach and exhaled through the lungs-a good reason why the odor lingers for so long and why mints do no good. Proteins in dairy products increase production of sulfurous gases in the mouth. Acids in coffee can also enhance microbe growth, leading to the antisocial morning condition, "coffee breath." Don't worry though, both milk and coffee breath can be washed away with a glass of water.

Rinse your mouth out

Although Listerine is claimed to improve breath quality for over eight hours, some clinicians maintain its true usefulness is 15 minutes at most. Still, swishing and gargling reaches areas the toothbrush cannot, making mouthwashes significantly better than brushing alone. Far better than garden-variety drugstore mouthwash is chlorhexidine (a.k.a. Peridex and PerioGard), a fast-acting, prescription-only disinfectant used to treat gum disease. Unlike weaker solutions, chlorhexidine kills bacteria for an extended period. One drawback, however, is that chlorhexidine may stain teeth and cosmetic fillings. An alternative solution, chlorine dioxide, may also be used. Chlorine dioxide works by neutralizing hydrogen sulfide gases in the back of the mouth. It is available in a mouthwash, toothpaste, or spray and is sold over the Internet under the brand name CloSYS II. Chlorine dioxide is best used in three steps, first by brushing with the toothpaste, then swishing the rinse around, and finally with a good scraping of the tongue.

Visit the clinic

Breath clinics diagnose patients with a halimeter, a device that measures how disgusting one's breath is based upon bacteria counts. Sinus or throat problems are referred to specialists. Clinics employ multiple weapons in the bad-breath battle, including scraping, strong disinfectants, and daily home applications of rinsing solutions. Each clinic claims to have its own proprietary system for defeating halitosis. An initial visit to a clinic can cost up to $150 per day (some clinics offer multiple-day sessions). Home breath maintenance kits generally cost about $25 for a one-month supply.

Try a home remedy

If you have tried everything else and still can't get your coworkers to go to lunch with you, try a home remedy. Allspice is not just an ingredient in pumpkin pie, but is supposedly a powerful antibacterial agent and breath cleanser. Folk doctors say the best way to apply it is to rub a little of the essential oil (found in nutrition stores) on your finger and run it along your gums and tongue. Ground-up allspice may be substituted (mixed 1 teaspoon to 1 cup of warm water), although it is not as powerful as the oil form. Others suggest drinking peppermint tea. You could also try chewing on fresh parsley, which contains breath-freshening chlorophyll. If all else fails, make home-brewed mouthwash from one part ground cinnamon to eight parts 100-proof vodka. Put the mixture in a bottle and shake it each day. Strain out the cinnamon after two weeks. Take a swig, gargle, rinse, spit, and repeat. For your money, though, you would be better off just buying a bottle of schnapps and taking a swig.