Confidence is an intangible aspect of our personality and disposition that has a huge effect on most aspects of our life. A lack of confidence can be poisonous and have a devastating impact on both inner and physical health. A lack of confidence causes you to withdraw from social situations. It makes you feel less confident in a professional setting and can even affect your relationships.
Bad breath or halitosis can have a terrible effect on confidence. Just a single comment here and there can create a constant obsession with the smell of your breath. This obsession will interfere with your life-enjoyment.
What Causes Bad Breath?
There are many factors that contribute to bad breath, and thankfully most of these can be controlled. Things you should look out for include:
- Diet choices: Some foods are particularly pungent, and foods like garlic and onion are notoriously associated with halitosis. The problem with these foods is that remnants become trapped and create bacteria, this bacteria is emitted every time we speak or breathe meaning the foul odour can linger long after you’ve eaten and brushed your teeth.
- Smoking: Tobacco is not only bad for your health, it is also bad for your breath. Tobacco leaves a foul odour in your mouth, and the smell can become trapped in your lungs meaning your breath will smell in between cigarettes.
- Poor oral health habits: Failure to brush and floss your teeth twice a day using the proper technique will contribute to bad breath. Brushing and flossing are designed to remove food particles and bacteria that lead to a whole host of issues, including gum disease and decay. Lots of odour-causing bacteria also sits on our tongue. The other problem with leaving food particles and bacteria in your mouth is that they rot over time and create an unpleasant smell.
- Dry mouth: Saliva is vital in clearing your mouth of leftover food particles. If you suffer from a persistently dry mouth, food particles will become trapped between meals and rot.
- Medical conditions: Conditions affecting the respiratory system, such as the lungs, throat and sinuses can cause halitosis to flare up or worsen. Conditions such as liver and kidney disease and even diabetes can also cause bad breath.
How to Treat Bad Breath
Your biggest ally in the fight against halitosis is improving your oral health regime. That means brushing each tooth, your cheeks and your tongue twice a day using the technique recommended by your dentists. You also need floss daily to remove any food particles and bacteria that can become trapped between your teeth. You can even use a dentist-approved mouthwash and chew sugar-free gum to assist in eliminating bacteria and freshen your breath.
If you notice your breath is worse after consuming certain foods, you should eliminate those foods from your diet. Some people can eat a clove of raw garlic and have fresh smelling breath after brushing, while other people will struggle to remove the smell for days. Remember everybody is different so choose a diet that works well for you.
If you’re a smoker, quitting for the sake of your breath should be your lowest priority. Smoking is associated with almost every severe health condition there is, form heart disease, to cancer and even dental issues.
If you suffer from dry mouth, you should see your dentists. Saliva is so essential in maintaining a healthy mouth that if you allow it to persist, you can increase your chances of suffering from a whole range of dental issues. There are a number of remedies against dry mouth, ranging from special mouthwashes, to simply increasing your fluid intake.
As bad breath can be linked with serious health conditions, you should visit your doctor if someone close to you comments on your breath. You can then treat the cause and the symptom at the same time.
How Will Treating Bad Breath Improve my Confidence?
Anyone that suffers from bad breath knows how uncomfortable social situations can be. You fear standing too close to people, and you often look down when you speak to direct your breath downwards. While you do this out of embarrassment, it can often be construed as a sign of shyness or even being rude.
If you alleviate your bad breath, you’ll feel confident to look people in the eye. You’ll be able hold intimate conversations and shine in both social and professional situations. With fresh breath, you’ll improve your confidence and notice the difference in all aspects of your life and health.
You don’t have to cover your mouth forever. If you’re struggling with bad breath, visit Care Dental Camberwell for a solution.