Curing Bad Breath to Raise Your Self Esteem - Part 2

How do you go about curing bad breath and raising your self esteem?

Your goal should be to create an environment in your mouth that will always neutralize volatile sulfuric compounds resulting in clean and healthy breath. To meet this goal you'll want to develop a structured and proper oral hygiene program for yourself. Structured meaning you'll have to follow your oral hygiene program everyday, at least twice a day so your bad breath does not return. Proper meaning you'll have to use the appropriate tools and ingredients to eliminate the source of your breath odor rather than covering it up. Homemade ingredients work exceptionally well because they are inexpensive and very effective.

With that in mind your oral hygiene program should consist of the following 5 items and should take between 3-4 minutes at least twice a day:

1. Toothbrush - Begin curing bad breath by choosing a toothbrush that fits the size of your mouth. A soft bristle toothbrush is preferred because it can minimize damage to the gums. Brush each tooth, front and back, using a gentle downward motion. Replace your toothbrush when it looks worn or every three months.

2. Toothpaste - Here's what I use and it's very effective. 5 teaspoons of baking soda, 1/4 teaspoon of salt, 5 teaspoons of vegetable glycerin, and 10 drops of either peppermint or spearmint. The baking soda will kill the tiny organisms that cause disease related bacteria. Salt acts as an antiseptic and the glycerin has antibacterial properties. The mint acts as a breath freshener. Combine and mix all the ingredients thoroughly. Place in a wide mouth bottle.

3. Tongue scraper - Do not brush your tongue. You'll simply move the bacteria all around your tongue and mouth. Purchase a tongue scraper. You'll want a plastic scraper for flexibility. Just like your toothbrush make sure the tongue scraper is the right size and shape for your mouth. Begin as far back on your tongue as possible then gently but firmly scrape forward toward the tip. Make sure you rinse off your tongue scraper in warm water after each use.

4. Dental floss - In order for you to make sure that you are able to remove any and all food particles from between your teeth and gums you need to chose the right type of dental floss. If you have little spacing between your teeth then waxed dental floss is ideal. However if there are bigger gaps between your teeth then you need to use a tape dental floss because it is thicker and wider. Dental floss comes flavored and unflavored. Carry some mint flavored dental floss with you so that in a pinch you can freshen your breath.

5. Gargle solution - I've tried so many different homemade solutions and in my opinion there is still nothing better to gargle with than old fashioned warm salt water. Just place some salt in a small glass and mix with warm water. Gargle then swish the solution around in your mouth vigorously. Now take a deep breath in. You'll be surprised at how clean your breath feels.

Also, your going to have to supplement your new oral hygiene program with changes in your diet. Avoid foods that cause problem breath, such as onions, garlic, cheese, and pastrami just to name a few. Add more crunchy fruits and vegetables to maintain your clean and fresh breath.

Initially you might have to be a bit more vigilant about sticking to your new oral hygiene regimen. It takes about three weeks to completely learn a new behavior. After that time you'll feel proud of the fact that you've literally become an expert at keeping your breath healthy, clean, and fresh.

Curing Bad Breath to Raise Your Self Esteem - Part 1

Chances are that if you've suffered from problem breath for any amount of time your not feeling very good about yourself. After all, who could blame you? It's not enough that you have to put up with a continuous barrage of negative references about your breath, but it's especially hurtful when those comments come from family members and friends. Further, you've probably tried the toothpastes, gargles, mints, and chewing gum, but nothing seems to work. You've masked the symptoms for awhile but the odor keeps returning. As a result, you feel like there's nothing you can do to treat your breath problem. Let's get to work on raising your self esteem back up to where it belongs right now. The truth is that you can go about curing bad breath effectively and inexpensively.

While about 90% of all breath issues originate from inside the mouth other causes might stem from medical or dental conditions. Your best bet would be to make an appointment with your dentist or doctor to be certain. The information in this article is based on bad breath originating in your mouth.

Here's what goes on inside your mouth when you eat. As you chew, bacteria that resides in your mouth breaks down the proteins and sugars from the food. As a by-product, certain volatile sulfuric compounds are created that cause the smell in your mouth. This is the real source of your mouth odor. For people such as yourself, bacteria levels are higher than usual causing chronic bad breath for you and a dive in your self worth.

Now close your eyes for a moment and imagine you're having a face to face conversation with a loved one, friend, or associate because your breath is fresh and clean, and you feel great about yourself. Now use the guidelines outlined in part 2 and make it happen.

Curing Bad Breath by Eating Yogurt

If you've already read a few of my blog posts, you know that about 90% of all bad breath is due to volatile sulfuric compounds that are created when we chew our food. Those that suffer from chronic bad breath have heavier levels of VSC.

The results of a recent study headed by Dr. Kenichi Hojo of Tsurumi University in Yokohama, Japan, discovered that sugarless yogurt aided in curing bad breath by considerably reducing the levels of oral hydrogen sulfide in 80% of the participants.

The 24 volunteers in the study were given specific instructions on oral hygiene, diet and medication intake. Initially, the volunteers did not eat any type of yogurt for 2 weeks.and then had samples of VSCs taken from their mouths. They then ate 90-grams (about 3 ounces) of sugarless yogurt twice-a-day for 6-weeks

At the end of the study, samples were taken and the results revealed a significant reduction in the the amount of VSC's from 80% of the participants.

It was postulated that live bacteria in the yogurt, specifically Lactobacillus bulgaricus and Streptococcus thermophilus effectively reduced the bacteria responsible for producing the hydrogen sulfide.

While that doesn’t effectively address the root cause of bad breath, it does show curing bad breath doesn’t have to be unpleasant. After all, what could be more pleasant than to have some good tasting yogurt every day ?

So, for curing bad breath eat about 3-ounces of sugar-free yogurt containing live cultures of Lactobacillus bulgaricus and Streptococcus thermopholis daily. Make sure you check the ingredients on the label.

Curing Bad Breath Effectively Once You Determine You Have It

Allow yourself to remember how you felt when you discovered that you have halitosis or problem breath. A little shocked and confused as to what to do next, I'm sure. However, if you also felt so anxious and desperate that you would try any quick fix to stop your breath problem, then you need to put on the brakes right here and now. Quick fixes just don't work. So read on to find out what so called remedies to avoid when attempting to fix your breath problem and the safe and effective way to curing bad breath.

Problem breath can be caused by a number of different factors but I'm focusing on the halitosis which begins in the mouth, the source of approximately 80-90% of the population who has breath problems. Specifically, there are a certain amount of bacteria in your mouth that actually help to breakdown certain proteins in the food you eat. The proteins are made up of amino acids and during that same process sulfur is extracted from the amino acids that produce Volatile Sulfuric Compounds also known as VSC. It's the VSC that smell bad and are the real source of your breath problem.

Keep away from the following so called remedies for curing bad breath which will only intensify the VSC inside your mouth:

1. Excessive mouthwash - Most mouthwashes contain an alcohol base, specifically ethanol, which creates dry mouth and a fertile area for more bacteria to grow.

2. Chewing Gum - Chewing gum masks the symptoms of problem breath and in no way is a solution.

3. Chewing mint flavored tobacco - Aside from simply masking the symptoms this stuff causes oral cancer.

4. Intestinal cleaning methods - Such as pills. Forget them. Bad breath begins in the mouth, not the stomach.

5. Vodka, martini or whiskey - Consuming alcohol brings on a quick case of dry mouth and intensifies the odor in your mouth.

So, how do you go about curing bad breath effectively once you determine that you have it ?

The answer is to to create an environment in your mouth that does not support the growth
of Volatile Sulfuric Compounds mentioned earlier by following these 5 steps:

1. Make easy lifestyle changes - For example, drink more water to prevent dry mouth and quit using over the counter oral hygiene products including mouthwash.

2. Invest in a tongue scraper - Don't worry you don't have to scrape hard but you do have to scrape. You'll want to make sure you scrape the surface of your tongue to remove any residue or substances that lie on top.

3. Make homemade toothpaste - Brush your teeth with baking soda. It's a great way to keep your teeth and mouth clean and odor free.

4. Add some green vegetable or plants to your diet - Green vegetable and plants contains chlorophyll which in turn neutralizes your smelly breath. Parsley is my favorite because it works very quick. Chew on a little parsley and notice the difference in your breath within seconds.

5. Follow a daily regimen - Now that you have the basics, make sure you abide by them everyday to maintain clean and healthy breath.