True or False: There Is Nothing You Can Do to Control or Prevent Morning Breath

Everyone has been there: They’ve woken up and realized they have terrible breath. They then assume that there’s nothing they can do to prevent it or control it. Is this true? Thankfully, it is not – there are steps you can take to prevent and treat morning breath. Keep reading for ideas on what to do, and remember to contact your local dentist for regular cleaning and exam.

The Cause of Morning Breath

Morning breath is avoidable in most cases, as long as you take the right steps. That bad breath is caused mostly by excess bacteria that grow in the mouth overnight. For most people, the mouth dries out during the night, and this is great news for bacteria as it allows them to grow more. The main purpose of saliva is to get rid of bacteria and keep the mount moist, and when you sleep, your body will produce less saliva.

Your mouth can also become dry due to smoking, taking certain medications, or sleeping with the mouth open.

Brush Your Teeth and Tongue

The first thing you can do to keep your bad breath under control is to brush your teeth and tongue with a toothpaste that has fluoride in it. Do this right before you go to bed. This cleans out the bacteria. Flossing can help get rid of even more bacteria. If you take medications before bed, brush your teeth after taking those meds – not before.

Be Careful What You Are Eating

If you eat a lot of onions, garlic, and other pungent foods, then you will have bad breath the next day. This is because these particular foods get into your bloodstream, and you breathe them out of your lungs the following day. The only way you can prevent this is to avoid eating these pungent items unless you don’t mind bad breath the following day.

Switch from Coffee to Tea

Coffee might taste great, but it can cause not-great breath. Try to slowly replace the coffee you drink with tea. This can greatly decrease your morning breath. If you need a caffeine boost, consider herbal or green tea.

Talk to Your Dentist

While most morning breath is caused by one of the issues listed above, sometimes it is a medical issue. If you feel that you always have bad breath and you are not sure what to do about it, then you will be glad to learn that we have the answer for you: make an appointment with your dentist. Contact California Dental Group at (800) 407-0161 to get started.