Halitosis, also known as chronic bad breath, is a problem that millions of Americans face today. Contrary to its very scientific name, the ways to get rid of halitosis are actually very simple. Basically, it's all about good oral hygiene.



When we think about oral hygiene, what is the first item that comes to mind? Most people would automatically think of the toothbrush. Certainly, everyone knows what a toothbrush looks like, but did you know that this trusty device has been continuously improving over the last few decades? Majority of the population in the United States today still use the basic manual toothbrush that our great-grandparents used in the old days, but you might be surprised at how technologically advanced some toothbrush types have become over the years.

The electric toothbrush has been available now for the past 50 plus years and has the singular advantage of automatically performing the basic up and down brushing motion that has proven to clean teeth best. Regular electric toothbrushes perform approximately 5,000 brush strokes per minute which seems like a tremendous speed for a toothbrush but the electric toothbrush too has evolved. The sonic toothbrush was developed in the 1980s and that up and down brush stroke has now reached speeds of 40,000 strokes per minute.

With this very high speed, food particles that are otherwise left stuck in between the teeth and the gums are easily dislodged and cleaned out. The improvement is astonishing, but manufacturers were certainly not satisfied. Today, there are some electric toothbrushes that can reach speeds of more than 30,000 strokes per minute. These more powerful devices allow you to spend less time brushing while leaving your mouth more squeaky-clean than ever.

Even with the 'sonic' cleaning action of today's sonic toothbrushes, flossing hasn't gone out of style nor is it any less necessary. Flossing removes plaque and food from places between the teeth that even the sonic action of the sonic toothbrushes won't reach. There is an unbelievably wide variety of dental floss available: from unwaxed to waxed with mint, peppermint or no flavoring, from super thin, super strong filament style to tape style and there are dental floss holders to make it a less awkward procedure.

One of the newer lines of oral hygiene products are the tongue cleaning implements. These very modern devices come in the form of brushes, scrapers or sprays, all specifically designed to remove the food particles and oral bacteria that have accumulated on the tongue.

Many people actually don't realize that cleaning the tongue is one of the most effective ways of keeping bad breath away. If you look at your tongue in the mirror, you will probably see a white or yellowish film towards the back. This is the food and bacteria that can lead to the bad breath, unless you take steps to remove it using a tongue cleaner. You might start to gag the first time you do it but eventually, you will learn to control this reflex. Ideally, you should clean your tongue at least twice a day, or after each time you brush your teeth.

If the gag reflex proves too strong for you, making it impossible to scrape the rear part of the tongue, you can try using tongue cleaner sprays. These products have powerful elements that are very effective in eliminating oral bacteria.

Another very popular product for maintaining the freshness of your breath is the mouthwash. Hundreds of mouthwashes are commercially available, and these come in all sorts of flavors. While most of them can give you instant fresh breath, mouthwashes do not really offer a long-term solution for bad breath.

On the contrary, some mouthwashes can even worsen your bad breath problem. We're referring to those products that include alcohol among their ingredients. With continued use, the alcohol can lead to dry mouth, a condition where there is insufficient moisture inside the mouth. When this happens, bacteria will flourish, causing a more serious bad breath problem.

Next time you go to buy mouthwash (and if you have a bad breath problem and use an alcohol-based mouthwash), check the labels on the mouthwashes and look for "chlorine dioxide" or "stabilized chlorine dioxide." Mouthwashes with chlorine dioxide or stabilized chlorine dioxide actually attack that sulfurous, 'rotten egg' smell that oral bacteria leaves behind and won't dry out your mouth.

Of course, we can't forget about the toothpaste. It's actually hard to find a toothpaste that doesn't work because most of them are actually pretty effective, especially the more popular brands like Colgate and Crest.

The best tool for managing your breath is a regular, twice daily oral hygiene ritual that consists of all the brushing, scraping and rinsing described above. Add to that a balanced diet and drinking lots of water and your breath should be much less of a problem.