3 Ways to Keep Your Breath Fresh at Work
Bad breath can make you more self-conscious, and it can make others around you uncomfortable. If you suffer from halitosis regularly, your confidence in a work environment may decline. Here are a few things that you can do to keep your breath smelling fresh at work.
Avoid sugary mints and candy.
Many offices contain bowls of candy or mints that are available for employees and customers. However, if the mints and candies are not sugar free, they can actually contribute to bad breath.
Bad breath that is not related to pungent spices, such as onions or garlic, is often due to oral bacteria. Anaerobic bacteria that reside on the tongue release volatile sulfur compounds. Additionally, these bacteria feed on food particles in the mouth just as other oral microbes do. As more bacteria become available in the mouth, the foul smell of the volatile sulfur compounds can increase.
One of the favorite foods of oral bacteria is simple carbohydrates, such as sugary candy. Instead of candy and mints that contain sugar, opt for sugar-free mints instead. For even better breath control, chew sugar-free gum that contains cinnamon. The cinnamon decreases the number of bacteria in the mouth, and the gum mechanically dislodges particles of food that could feed oral bacteria. Also, since gum causes the release of saliva, it helps rinse away bacteria and plaque while diluting decay-causing acid.
Drink water.
Most work environments allow you to have a bottle of water at your desk. The water helps keep you hydrated and prevents dry mouth. Dry mouth occurs when there is too little moisture in the oral cavity. It is associated with bad breath because when there is too little moisture, there is not enough saliva to rinse away bacteria that create a foul smell in the mouth.
Like saliva, water can help moisten the mouth, dilute bacterial acid, and rinse away microbes that contribute to bad breath. Water also helps eliminate edible debris that may be left over from a meal or snack and that could rot in the mouth and contribute to foul-smelling breath.
It is especially helpful to drink water immediately following a meal or snack to ensure that food particles are removed before they are consumed by oral bacteria.
Avoid breath sprays that contain alcohol.
Breath sprays that contain alcohol may kill some oral bacteria and release a fresh smell into your mouth, but they can also be drying to the mouth due to their alcohol content. If you do use a breath spray, be sure that it is alcohol free. You can even replace it with mouthwash that contains chlorhexidine. It should be easy enough to use mouthwash during a quick restroom break at work.
To learn more ways to keep your breath fresh at work, call a dentist office in your area and schedule an appointment.
Share