Halitosis is easy to diagnose—just watch people lean away from you as you talk. While bad breath has many causes, you might be surprised how many you might not realize are your fault—so here’s how to avoid accidental bad breath:
Start by checking how you sleep. If you’re congested or have other nasal problems like sleep apnea, you might be sleeping with your mouth open. This can dry out your tongue and gums and encourage the growth of the wrong kind of bacteria in your mouth and throat—the kind that causes a bad odor. Keep water nearby, and work towards a solution like a nightly sinus rinse or a CPAP machine.
Then check your diet—no, not for onions and garlic (which cause only a brief odor) but for sugar. Not only can sugar feed the bacteria that cause cavities, and bad bacteria in your gut, those bacteria are causing odor in your mouth. Enjoy the occasional treat but don’t drink sugar all day and be sure to flush your dessert out with water, and possibly a baking soda rinse.
After fixing your bad habits, work on some good ones. In addition to flossing, brushing, and other tooth care, fight the underlying cause of bad breath with colloidal silver. If you’re already taking colloidal silver as a daily supplement, get more direct support for your mouth and swish a little before swallowing. While you want good bacteria in your gastrointestinal tract, current research stands with no bacteria being better for your mouth.
When you’re not cleaning your mouth, drink lots of water. It rinses, it’s a neutral odor, and it hydrates you so your own saliva can naturally help care for your teeth and gums. You can always add a drop or two of colloidal silver to your water bottle for all-day mouth support, too.
