How To Beat Stank Breath

By BR Kellie

It's funny where article inspiration comes from. Well, it's funny if you think being horribly embarrassed when meeting someone for the first time is funny. You see recently I got my brows gussied. And this wasn't any quick grip it and rip it scenario. This was an up close and personal three quarters of an hour appointment, where the therapist measured and plucked, and waxed and trimmed, and made my brows look beautiful. And the whole time she worked her magic I was silently cursing myself for adding raw garlic to the vinagarette I'd made for dinner the previous evening. What was I thinking? That poor woman. I mean if I could smell the stink on my breath, then surely she must have too? 

So it got me thinking... what measures can one take when they're faced with a stinky breath situation? Read on...

Invest in a tongue scraper. Not great for people (like myself) who have wicked gag reflexes, but if you can handle the jandal this handy contraption works to remove the bacteria on your tongue, which contributes greatly to your smelly breath. The other option is to make sure you brush your tongue with your toothbrush twice a day once you're done brushing your teeth.

Swill water on the regular. Bad breath can be caused by having a dry mouth, which is basically a breeding ground for bacteria (EW!). All the more reason to get that eight glasses a day into you.

Get your gargle on. Reach for a minty mouthwash and go for gold. This won't cure bad breath competely, but it will take the edge off for a tad.

Reach for the herbs and spices. Chew a clove (just the one because those things are STRONG), reach for a sprig of parsley (you'll probably want to floss afterwards), and let them work to refresh your breath.

If you're really in a jam, grab gum or mints - but make sure they're sugar-free because sugar is really good at growing bacteria in one's mouth, therefore exacerbating breath that could have come from the fiery pits of hell.

Lastly? Well sometimes you just have to do what I didn't do and think about what the heck you're doing the next day. If you're going to be in close contact with someone, whether that person is your dentist, your beauty therapist or a potential pash (do people still use that word. I love that word.), don't put anything in your gob that you're going to regret the next day. Back away from the garlicky, oniony, spicy food. Or the bottle of booze. Or, god forbid, the coffee. Stale coffee breath... ergh.

One last word... bad breath isn't always caused by what we eat or drink, it can be from lack of oral health care or an underlying medical issue. So visit your dentist regularly, brush regularly, floss regularly. And if you find your case of the stinks continues consult with a health professional.

So there you have it. Tips and tricks to beat the stink! Do you have any other tips to share? Or do you fancy joining me in my pain and sharing a stinky breath situation? Sharing is caring...