If you are suffering from bad breath, it can be embarrassing to talk in front of other people. While this is a frustrating experience, you are not alone, and there are options available. The following tips will help you freshen up your breath and feel confident once more.

What Causes Bad Breath?

When you are determining how best to cure bad breath, you should start by learning what causes it. This will give you more insight into how to control it in the future. There are a few different causes of bad breath, starting with tooth decay or an infection inside the mouth. Decay and infections can cause a strong odor to come from the teeth and gums infected, so your first stop should be to your dentist. It can also be caused by dry mouth, the foods you eat, and improper dental hygiene.

Practice Good Oral Hygiene

The most important way to cure bad breath is by cleaning your teeth, gums and tongue every single day. Brush your teeth at least twice a day, and after meals if you have very bad breath. You can also drink water after some meals if you aren't able to brush. Floss your teeth once a day, twice a day if you're able to. Flossing will get food debris that is between your teeth and under your gums, that your toothbrush can't reach. Don't forget to brush your tongue, as a lot of bacteria can sit there.

Be Careful What You Eat

The food you eat may also be affecting what your breath smells like. After digesting different types of foods, it then gets absorbed into your bloodstream and can come out of your lungs when you breathe. Some extreme diets, such as fasting, only eating one type of food like with a cabbage diet, or low-carb diets, can cause bad breath. Snacking on items like apples, celery and carrots is not only healthy, but they help relieve some of your bad odor. Avoid onions, garlic and spicy foods.

Remain Hydrated

Drinking plenty of water is a great way to banish bad breath. Not only are you helping to rinse away bacteria and debris from your mouth after eating or drinking, but you are keeping your mouth hydrated. Since dry mouth is a common cause of bad breath, it makes sense that drinking more water is a good idea. It also keeps you from drinking other beverages, such as coffee, which can contribute to your bad breath.

See the Dentist

Keep going to the dentist for your semi-annual visits. That professional cleaning is very important to removing plaque and build-up that contributes to bad-smelling breath. It also allows the dentist to give you an exam and find any infections or other dental issues that might be affecting your breath. (Go here for more questions about endodontics)