We all know that bacteria cause bad breath. We also know that we all have bacteria in our mouths. So, how can we keep those bacteria happy and in check so they don’t cause our friends and family to shun our hugs?
Well, we all know that brushing our teeth and cleaning our tongues every day does wonders for combating bacterial buildup, and swishing some mouthwash or chewing some sugarless mints can cover up some of the residual odors, but we also know that certain bacteria are healthy, so how do we keep them happy?
My mouth isn’t happy, so why is yours?
Each of us has a different set of microbiomes, different set of bacteria and, therefore, a different propensity to happy or unhappy oral bacteria.
According to geneticists, there are over a thousand different types of bacteria that are found living in the average mouth. And there are multiple combinations of those bacteria in each of us. The result of those variations can account for why some of us have worse breath than others!
Most people develop early morning halitosis from, say, dry mouth or the residual food particles that have broken down in an unclean mouth overnight. But science has shown that about 25% of us have chronic bad breath. Researchers have broken down multiple molecular combinations that result in breath that smells like rotten eggs, rotten cabbage, garlic and fish…all without consuming any of those foods!
If my mouth isn’t happy, what can I do?
Scientists are trying to isolate and combine different probiotics and enzymes that together can combat the biology of bad breath. The use of a particular streptococcus strain, for example, has been shown to be a benign factor that, when present, appears to fight some of the bacteria that cause bad breath.
And another set of researchers is coming up with a peptide-based rinse that will fight tooth decay and the resultant breath issues. Until more research is done, however, the best ways to get a happy mouth are:
- Brush and floss daily – twice if you eat “offensive” foods
- Clean your tongue daily with your TUNG Brush and Gel as we know the main cause of bad breath comes from the “gunk” on your tongue!
- Drink lots of water
- Minimize the sugar in your diet
- Exercise
And…be happy!!! 😊 😊
