Most people skip brushing their teeth before going to bed. While it may not seem as big of a deal, this disregard towards oral hygiene often results in several issues including cavities, gum bleeding, and bad breath in the morning. Medically called halitosis, morning bad breath is caused by the bacteria present in the mouth that tends to multiply if you do not brush or floss regularly. These oral bacteria break down the leftover food particles in your mouth and break them down into foul-smelling chemicals. Sticky foods, tobacco and certain medications can further stimulate the growth of these foul stenches in your mouth. In this article, we are going to discuss some remedies that can help you deal with these stenches and help you improve your oral health.

1. Brush your teeth after meals

Brushing your teeth twice a day, especially after meals, using fluoridated toothpaste can help reduce the count of oral bacteria significantly. Cleaning your teeth with an anti-bacterial toothpaste can also help reduce bad breath. 

2. Don’t forget to floss

Flossing is still not a regular practice for many people. However, if you have bad breath then you should floss your teeth every day to remove any food particles or plaque (a sticky colony of bacteria) that can get stuck between your teeth. This can not only reduce bad odour but also reduce the risk of cavities. 

3. Clean your tongue daily

Yes, cleaning your tongue is equally important to ensure complete oral hygiene. Your tongue has tiny finger-like structures on top of it, which are known as papillae. These papillae act as a house for your taste buds. When you eat food, the food debris, bacteria, and dead cells get trapped between these papillae, resulting in a white coating on top of the tongue. You should use a tongue scraper or the built-in tongue cleaner in a toothbrush to remove this layer of overgrowing bacteria. Smokers or those with xerostomia (dry mouth) should be extra cautious while cleaning their tongues.

4. Clean your dental appliances

People who use a denture or other dental appliances should maintain the hygiene of their devices as well. Clean them thoroughly at least once every day. If you use a mouthguard or retainer, make sure you clean it every time before you put it inside your mouth. You can ask your dentist’s recommendation for a good cleaning liquid.

5. Keep your mouth moist

The presence of saliva in the mouth can prevent bacteria from sticking to the surface of the teeth or tongue. Consuming water at frequent intervals and staying away from beverages such as coffee, tea and soft drinks can help keep your mouth moist. Furthermore, quit smoking as it causes excessive drying of the mouth. You can chew sugar-free gums or suck on lozenges to stimulate saliva production in your mouth. You can also ask your dentist to prescribe an artificial saliva preparation or a medicine that will stimulate the flow of saliva in your mouth.

6. Modify your diet

Eating a lot of sugary foods and consuming soda-based drinks can stimulate bacteria production in your mouth, resulting in bad breath. One should rather eat more fibrous foods that require thorough chewing and stimulate saliva production in the mouth, thus preventing bacteria accumulation on the teeth.  

7. Change your toothbrush

One must change their toothbrush after every three months. A frayed toothbrush would not be able to clean the plaque and residual food particles from the teeth. A soft-bristled toothbrush can help clean the teeth and tongue.

8. Take regular dentist appointments

Make sure that you get your dental health evaluated by a professional regularly. Not only will it help you identify early traces of problems but their recommendations will also help you get rid of the foul-smelling breath. 

Following the aforementioned remedies will help reduce the foul odour-causing bacteria in your mouth and help you maintain good dental health. If you have any questions,

Consult Apollo's Expert Dentists

Medically reviewed by Dr Sonia Bhatt.