10 Hints to Get Rid of Offensive Breath Odor Now

You know the feeling, minutes away from a big date or the meeting that can make (or break) your career you discover you have breath odor. It started with that "taste" in your mouth; you know the one that reminds you of what you ate . . . hours ago! You do a simple breath test (cup hand over mouth and breath out) and yep, you got it. It happens to all of us at some point in our life and there are ways to minimize, even eliminate breath odor from happening.

10 Hints to get rid of bad breath:

1. Some medicines can cause breath odor so you should check all medicines you are currently taking. If your doctor has just prescribed a new one it could be the cause. Or an interaction between two or more medicines might be it. Ask at your pharmacy about known side effects of any medicine you take. If you narrow it down to a specific medicine ask your doctor if another medicine could be substituted.

2. Keep track of your food and drink intake over a 7 day period. Within this journal also make note of the time of day you believe you have breath odor. This food journal can help you see a pattern between food choices and your breath odor problem.

3. Be very cautious about continuing to eat the foods that cause breath odor.

4. If you cannot find a pattern between your diet and breath odor you should look for a permanent solution. There are herbal and more standard solutions. Before you spend a small fortune on specific remedies you should know that common household products can get rid of breath odor permanently.

5. One quick way to rid yourself of post-meal breath odor is to chew (DO NOT SWALLOW) on a sprig or parsley or mint for a minute or two before and after your meal. Check your teeth in a mirror to make sure you don't have any flecks between your teeth.

6. Keep a travel-size container of mouthwash or sugar-free gum with you as a backup plan. However, do not suck on peppermints or other sugar containing hard candies or gum. The sugar feeds breath odor causing bacteria that live on your tongue.

7. Increase your water consumption for a fresher breath. You reduce breath odor caused by dry mouth and wash away food particles and excess bacteria from your mouth.

8. The back of your tongue houses bacteria that cause breath odor. Use a tongue scraper to physically remove this 'film' of bacteria.

9. Always brush your tongue, including the back, whenever you brush your teeth.

10. Floss at least once a day. If possible floss after each meal, but if once a day is the only option, do it at night right before you brush your teeth at bedtime. Food particles caught between your teeth, if not removed, can cause breath odor as these decay.