Halitosis 101! How To Cure Bad Breath With Brushing, Flossing And Tongue Cleaning Techniques! By Joe Barton At Isnare.com Ezine Articles

Did you know that one and four people suffer from the disease of bad breath… Halitosis?

That is almost 80 million Americans with bad breath! Fortunately, thousands of those sufferers are seeking medical help and naturally treating their bad breath by simply correctly brushing, flossing and cleaning their tongue.

What? I know what you might be thinking. Who doesn't know how to brush their teeth? Unfortunately, millions of people continue to brush, floss and clean with the bad habits passed down from previous generations. As oral hygiene has advanced in recent decades, so has what we know on how to keep your teeth clean and how to keep halitosis in the history books!

Did you know that bad breath comes from bacteria growing in your mouth?

In the most common forms of bad breath, the odor comes from activity of bacteria in the mouth (85%-90%), usually from the back part of the tongue. Simply stated, microorganisms in the mouth break down proteins and produce foul smelling gasses called volatile sulfur compounds (VSCs). These VSCs emit a smell similar to rotten eggs. Because bacteria need an environment free of oxygen, they will live in areas that are difficult to reach such as pockets around the teeth, the grooves in the tongue, and ESPECIALLY on the back of the tongue. The most common cause of bad breath is bacteria on the back part of the tongue. This bacterium lives deep in the tiny grooves of the tongue and digests proteins while producing gasses.

Did you know you can begin treating bad breath today by CORRECTLY brushing, flossing and cleaning your tongue?

The Basics for fighting Halitosis

Brushing and Flossing are the two most crucial elements for defeating bad breath. Since bacteria lives on our teeth and gums, brushing and flossing will remove the bacteria and will decrease production of VSCs which causes halitosis. However, most people do not spend the 2-3 minutes it takes to properly brush all tooth surfaces. In fact, the average person spends less than 1 minute brushing their teeth and spends even less time flossing. NOT flossing your teeth is the equivalent of not washing a third of your body in the shower causing you to have body odor. Flossing is very beneficial and should be practiced daily. Cleaning your tongue is also extremely important. Because many of the odor causing bacteria live in the deep crevices on the tongue, they lay protected from oxygen under mucous, proteins, and food particles. The back of the tongue should be cleaned with a tongue cleaner on a regular basis.

Brushing Tips

1. Place the toothbrush bristles against the gums at a 45-degree angle.

2. Move the brush back and forth gently in short (one tooth wide) strokes. All surfaces of the teeth need to be cleaned: the inner areas (by the tongue), the outside areas (by the cheeks and lips), and the grooved biting surfaces.

3. Turn the brush to use the whole length of it to clean the insides of the upper and lower front teeth.

4. Brush teeth for 2-3 minutes.

Flossing Tips

1. Break off about 15 inches of strong floss and wind most of it around one of your middle fingers. Alternatively, you can tie the two ends of the floss together to form a circle.

2. Wind some of the floss around a finger of the other hand.

3. Hold the floss taunt between your thumbs and forefingers. Guide the floss between your teeth using a gentle back and forth motion. Do not snap the floss between the teeth.

4. After the floss is through the tight area between the two teeth, curve it into a C shape against one tooth. Gently slide it up and down the tooth and under the gum line.

5. Do the same thing for the side of the other tooth.

6. Advance the floss so you use a clean area between each tooth.

7. Remember to floss behind the molars.

Tongue Cleaning Tips

1. Gently brush the tongue with a regular toothbrush dipped in an antibacterial mouthwash.

2. Reach back as far as you can without hurting yourself. At first, you may gag, but practice will decrease this natural urge.

3. Rinse the toothbrush well and repeat a few times until the white coating on the surface of the tongue is removed.

4. Be gentle so the delicate tissues are not damaged.

5. Special tongue cleaning devices may be used. Gently scrape the surface of the tongue according to the manufacturer's directions.

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