We’ve all experienced it before: We wake up refreshed and ready for our day when suddenly we notice our own bad breath… and this one is much worse than most. But there’s no need to worry, this bad breath is a natural result of the bacteria that builds up in your mouth overnight and is commonly referred to as “morning breath.”
The degree of morning breath that people wake up with ranges between having an unpleasant taste in your mouth and having your mouth feel like a cesspool. Morning breath is slightly preventable, but it requires more effort than simply brushing your teeth the night before.
1) Brush After Every Meal
Brushing after every meal is highly recommended by dentists, but not everyone complies. Many people will only brush after they wake up and before they go to bed. If you only brush on those occasions, then by the time you brush at night you’ll still be carrying food particles from breakfast, lunch and dinner in your mouth. At the end of the night, presumably after an active day, you’ll be more concerned with going to bed than oral health, meaning you won’t brush as thoroughly as you should. As a result, any remaining food particles will collect bacteria, which will worsen your breath overnight. Brushing after every meal would lessen the amount of food particles stored in your mouth throughout the day.
2) Watch What You Eat
Avoid consuming foods or drinks with strong odors at night. Foods and drinks high in acids or sugars, like cheese, garlic and coffee. A mixture of these foods and the bacteria already in your mouth will produce a foul odor after collecting overnight.
3) Saliva is Your Friend
Saliva is the mouth’s natural cleanser, it is responsible for washing away some of the food particles that would normally linger and collect bacteria. This is why when your mouth is dry it becomes more susceptible to bacteria. Your mouth produces less saliva when you sleep which in turn makes it easier for bacteria to build up.
However, there are ways to keep saliva active while you sleep. Even though it can’t always be helped, try to sleep with your mouth closed, as sleeping with it open will quickly dry out your mouth. Additionally, using non-alcoholic mouthwash or even hydrogen peroxide mixed with water before bed, should keep your mouth moist throughout the night.
4) Tongue Scraping
In addition to brushing and flossing, you should also scrape your tongue. Bacteria that aren’t always caught with a brush accumulate on your tongue. This could mean that your mouth will never be completely clean if you don’t make tongue scraping a part of your oral hygiene routine.
5) Late Night Tea
If you have to have a drink before bed, your best option after water are teas low in sugar. Tea is a much healthier alternative to coffee or any alcoholic drink. Green and black teas contain antioxidants that fight bacteria and freshen your breath.
Keep Your Morning Breath in Check!
If you feel like your morning breath is getting the best of you, Daxon Dentistry can help! If you’re in need of tips or suggestions concerning oral care, contact us today or schedule an appointment here.