You may turn to breath mints when you’re trying to get rid of bad breath. Unfortunately, these mints don’t necessarily fix bad breath but rather mask it temporarily. Breath mints aren’t the best way to freshen your breath and in this Ask A Dentist’s blog, we’ll be explaining how breath mints work and provide ways to give this condition the boot once and for all. If you're interested in the cause of bad breath, visit our previous blog about the topic. 

Purpose Of Breath Mints

Sucking or chewing on breath mints is supposed to help your mouth produce more saliva, which rinses away the odour-causing bacteria that produces bad breath. Simultaneously, its minty scent masks the smelly odour.

However, most breath mints contain sugar or artificial sweeteners that are essentially food for bad bacteria. That’s why even the strongest-flavoured mints won’t be effective at eliminating bad breath in the long term. Because of this, we recommend chewing sugarless gum that contains xylitol instead of breath mints. Xylitol will help to eliminate bacteria to promote healthy teeth and fresher breath.

How To Cure Bad Breath

In addition to practicing good oral health (brushing your teeth at least twice a day, flossing at least once a day and visiting your dentist regularly), here are other ways to get rid of bad breath: 

• Clean your tongue. Regular brushing and flossing are often not enough, as the tongue is also a breeding ground for bacteria and a home for food debris. Use a tongue cleaner to effectively clean your tongue. 
• Drink more water. Drinking lots of water throughout the day can stimulate saliva production. Saliva cleans your mouth and washes away leftover food particles stuck in your mouth. 
• Watch what you eat. Foods that are high in protein and low in carbohydrates can cause a foul odour in your mouth, according to Colgate. When you don’t eat enough carbohydrates, your body will begin to burn fat instead of sugar which in turn causes bad breath. 

Are you dealing with this condition and would like to get professional help? Our team at Dental Image Therapy Centres suggests you book an appointment with one of our two Winnipeg locations at St. Vital Centre and Garden City Shopping Centre so we can help address hidden issues to improve your breath as well as your oral health.