Bad breath is something none of us wants to have, and even when we do, most of our friends wouldn’t say a thing.  But dragon breath, or halitosis, can be vanquished  by using some simple daily dental routines.  Most importantly you need to brush and floss daily, especially after a smelly meal like pizza or a big burger with onions.  The bacteria in your mouth attacks any stray bits of food, that may be left in your mouth after you’ve eaten. This natural bacterial action breaks down leftover food particles, and in doing so releases sulfur compounds that make your breath smell.  Foods like garlic and onions contain odorous oils, that are moved to your lungs when you swallow, and then find their way back out through your mouth.   Smoking, chewing tobacco and many illnesses can also make your breath smell, if you don’t follow a program of good dental hygiene.

Lots of people will offer cures for bad breath, but very few things work.  Some of the incorrect things we’ve heard here at the Panama Dental Center or your friends might of told you, probably aren't true so let’s review some.

You won’t get bad breath if you brush your teeth a lot:  Unfortunately it’s not just how often you brush, but also how long you brush, that counts. Most people don’t brush their teeth nearly as long as they should when they do brush.  Most kids only brush about half a minute or so, when they should be doing it for at least minutes twice a day. And when you eat remember that food gets stuck between your teeth and your gums, so be sure to brush there or at least floss after every meal.  Ask your doctor at The Panama Dental Center to show you the proper brushing technique. Also brush your tongue and the inside of your cheeks, if you really concerned about bad breath, because bacteria and food interact there too. You might also ask you parents for a battery operated or electric toothbrush that will make cleaning a lot easier and more thorough.

All you really need to do is use mouthwash:   Mouthwash is only like room spray, it won’t make the odors go away it will just hide them for a short time. The best mouth washes or breath sprays are the antiseptic ones that kill germs, not the ones that smell like fruits or herbs and it’s even better if you use the ones that help reduce plague and give the bacteria fewer places to hide and stink up your mouth. If you need some brand suggestion just ask us here at The Panama Dental Center and we’ll give you some suggestions.

You can tell if you have bad by breathing into to your hand and smelling:  Just blowing air out of your mouth is not the same as talking or whispering. When you talk sound, air and smells come from the back of you mouth, and when you just breathe out, that air comes from your lungs where there is very little smell.  And we all know it’s kind of hard to notice our own smell, because we’re so used to it so don't trust this little trick!

If you're  brushing and flossing daily and you still seem to have bad breath you need to visit the dentists at The Panama Dental Center for a in depth oral check up. You might have a slight gum infection or some other easy to cure problem like regular cleaning visits.  So just give us a call today and we’ll set up an appointment to help you get rid of your problem.