Are you conscious about the smell of your breath? Do you find yourself covering your mouth when you speak closely to a friend because you are afraid that your breath smells bad? You are not the only one and you need not be embarrassed because there are simple steps that you can follow to improve the smell of your breath, for good. You will never have to cover up your mouth again or shy away when your best friend rushes to you for a big hug. As you probably already guessed, your first weapon in your fight against bad breath is brushing your teeth regularly and keeping your mouth and teeth clean. Brush your when you wake up in the morning, after every meal, and before going to bed. And for extra protection, brush your tongue too. Dentists recommend that you also floss your teeth at night to get rid of particles of food stuck in your teeth that the bacteria will feed on and cause bad breath. Hidden reasons of bad breath could be that your body is low in vitamin B3 or the mineral zinc. To make sure your body is getting enough of this important B vitamin, try to eat more of fish, eggs, whole wheat bread, peanuts, chicken, dates, figs, prunes, and fresh plums. As for zinc, it is found in meat, seafood, pumpkin seeds, most nuts, and eggs. Another secret that you may not know about it is that having a dry mouth causes bad breath too. If you sit for a long period of time without drinking any water, your mouth will go dry and will start to smell bad. Also, breathing through your mouth causes the mouth to dry up faster.
Having stubborn bad breath that does not seem to go away may be a sign that your digestive system many not be functioning healthily. One of the best foods for helping the digestive system restore its normal health and functions is yogurt. For a tasty snack, you can dip carrots, cucumbers, celery, or salty crackers in plain yogurt, or eat a bowl of yogurt and cucumber salad with dried mint and a dash of salt. If you have a sweet tooth, you can enjoy fruit yogurt. Instead of the store bought ones, try making this delicious treats at home, with the help of your mom or dad. Slice some sour green apples in thin slices and place in a bowl. Add raisins and chopped walnuts and some regular, plain yogurt. Mix them all together and you have created an interesting snack that is both sweet and sour, and also crunchy! To help give your mouth a pleasant odor, chew on some fresh parsley and mint leaves or drink cinnamon tea. Making cinnamon tea at home not only makes your breath smell sweet but it gives a beautiful aroma to the kitchen and the house.
