It happens to all of us sometimes. Colleagues and friends turn their heads to the side when we are talking to them – sometimes they take a step back and press their lips together to avoid blurting out the truth: You have bad breath. Your kinder friends will offer you a mint or gum.

Bad breath, or halitosis, can kill sales deals, strain relationships and even cause people to treat you badly. Even worse, we usually can’t tell our breath is bad and may not realize we are alienating people around us. While mints can mask the problem for a few minutes, how can you eliminate bad breath in the first place?

According to Aaron Jones, DDS of Highland Park Dental, the solution for most people can be quite simple. Here’s the basic halitosis elimination list he gives his patients:

1. Avoid known offenders - Foods and drink such as onions, garlic, coffee, alcohol, dairy products, meat and orange juice, can have a powerful affect on breath odor. When we digest, food goes into our bloodstream and then the lungs, which is why brushing your teeth or mints don’t last after having garlic bread with your lunch.
2. Eat regularly - Many dieters or people with eating disorders suffer from bad breath due to the foods they eat or infrequent eating.
3. Brush your teeth, tongue and floss at least twice daily - this will get rid of rotting bacteria in your mouth that can cause bad breath.
4. Don’t smoke or chew tobacco - there aren’t enough mints in the world to fix the breath of a smoker because they inhale into their lungs. Tobacco chewers stimulate bacteria in their mouths with their habit. Teeth brushing and gum are very short-term aids.

If your problem persists, you should talk to a dentist. Sometimes bad breath is a symptom of a larger problem. Dry mouth, for example, causes bad breath because there’s not enough saliva to push all the food particles down the throat. It is a common side effect of some medications or it could signal a problem with your salivary glands.

“Drinking more water helps with dry mouth and halitosis because it stimulates your own saliva,” said Dr. Jones. “Your dentist can help identify the source of your bad breath and give you specific advice. He can also refer you to a doctor if he suspects a medical problem.”

Dr. Jones practices at Highland Park Dental in Snider Plaza. Make an appointment at 214-521-3730 today to cure this embarrassing social disease.

Highland Park Dental
6725 Hillcrest Avenue
(next to Starbucks in Snider Plaza)
Dallas, Texas 75205

214 521-3730
www.hpdentist.com