How to get rid of morning breath

No-one likes morning breath. It’s an embarrassing problem that can make you feel self-conscious and depressed – definitely not what you want first thing in the morning! However, nearly everyone has had morning breath at some point in their lives and it can be fixed if you know what the cause is. So, read on to find out what’s causing your morning breath and take the first step towards a more pleasant morning!

Causes of morning breath

Morning breath has several causes. These include:

• Poor oral hygiene. The most common cause of bad breath is a lack of proper oral hygiene. This is when you don’t brush your teeth enough, bacteria build up in your mouth and they release smelly odours.
• Smoking. Tobacco is another common cause of morning breath. After all, everyone has heard of smoker’s breath, which is the unpleasant smell of chemicals and tobacco in a smoker’s mouth.
• Dry mouth. Saliva helps to prevent bad breath because it kills bacteria and washes away food particles. However, our saliva production naturally decreases during the night, which is why so many people suffer from morning breath without an obvious cause.
• Medications. Some medications cause dry mouth, which in turn leads to bad breath.
• Alcohol. Another cause of morning breath is alcohol. All alcoholic drinks, like beer and wine, make your breath smell bad because they cause dry mouth.
• Food. Of course, some foods can cause bad breath. Onion, garlic and spices can all give your breath a bad odour if you’ve eaten them the night before.

Solutions to morning breath

If you have morning breath, then don’t worry – there are a few simple things you can do to get rid of it.

• Brush your teeth. The first thing you should do is brush your teeth. This will get rid of any particles in your mouth that are causing your bad breath. Also, many kinds of toothpaste are flavoured, which will help to mask the smell. Your mouth will be feeling fresher in no time!
• Rinse your mouth with mouthwash. If you can’t brush your teeth right away, then the next best thing is to give your mouth a quick rinse with mouthwash. This has three benefits: it washes away any leftover food particles, it helps cover up the smell of bad breath, and it also kills the bacteria that cause bad breath in the first place. What’s not to love?
• Drink water. As explained above, a common cause of bad breath is dry mouth. The simple solution to a dry mouth is to have a drink of water. It will instantly make your mouth less dry and slowly rehydrate you as the water makes its way through your body.
• Chew gum. If you have any chewing gum handy, you’re in luck – it’s is the perfect thing to get your saliva flowing. But do try to use sugar-free gum if possible, as it’s better for your teeth than gum that contains sugar.
• Chew parsley. Did you know that parsley can alleviate bad breath? A quick chew on a small sprig of parsley is a quick and effective way to freshen your breath.
• Look after your teeth. If the cause of your bad breath is bacteria, then the solution is to simply improve your oral hygiene habits. This means brushing twice a day and flossing once a day.