Dental tips provided by Burnaby Dentists from North Burnaby Dental Group.

As the holiday season reaches its peak, with parties, social events, and even mistletoe, bad breath can be a concern for us all, especially in light of all of the food and drink that generally comes hand in hand with such social occasions. With just a few easy steps though, it is not just possible to maintain a bright smile and fresh breath, but it’s easy too!

The first and most obvious step is simply to brush. Devoting just a few minutes two to three times a day to brush and floss your teeth goes a long way toward maintaining fresh breath. By regularly removing the plaque and food debris that cause odour and decay you’ll be helping preserve not just your breath, but also the long-term health of your entire mouth. Using a toothbrush with a tongue scraper will help even more in this endeavour, by removing any lingering, odour-causing residue and bacteria from your tongue.

The second thing to consider is what you eat. Quite obviously some foods (like garlic and onions) are more prone than others to create issues with breath, but there are also foods that can contribute to better breath and can even help to freshen your mouth after you’ve indulged in rich party foods.  Simply munching on a carrot or celery stick or an apple slice after you’ve eaten can go a long way to restore balance inside your mouth; the vigorous chewing action that these foods require stimulates saliva production and actually acts to somewhat cleanse your mouth. You can take this even one step further by nibbling on the garnish that party platters are often adorned with, since parsley contains chlorophyll it acts as a natural breath freshener, while fresh mint leaves can leave you, well, minty fresh!

Third, and a very important consideration, is what you drink. Alcohol is what is known as a desiccant, or drying agent, and the dryer your mouth gets, the worse your breath gets, which means that the more alcohol you drink, the greater your risk for bad breath. Do your best to stay well hydrated by sipping on a glass of water alongside your favourite alcoholic beverage. (This will also help you to avoid an unwanted holiday hangover!) Drinks with a lower alcohol content such as beer or wine may have a lesser impact on your breath than drinks containing spirits with a higher alcohol percentage.

Lastly, don’t hesitate to slip into a restroom to quickly freshen up. Even if you can’t brush, simply rinsing your mouth out with water can go a long way toward maintaining fresh breath. A few drops of natural peppermint oil with water is a fast and effective way to revitalize your breath, as well as chewing sugarless gum. Avoid mouth rinses or breath fresheners that contain alcohol, as these can actually make your breath worse.

It won’t take much time or effort to implement the tips listed above, but the benefits you will reap make it more than worthwhile. Not only will they help you to avoid bad breath during the holidays, but they will contribute to a healthy mouth and better breath over all, all year round.

Additional articles are available from Burnaby Dentists at North Burnaby Dental Group.