You know the importance of following a skincare routine for men. Wash and moisturize daily. Exfoliate twice a week. Done. Excellent results.
But looking good and taking care of yourself has to go beyond just your face. Because no matter how good you look, it’s all bad if you open your mouth and a stench to rival the garbage truck comes out.
This is a rough one. You can look in the mirror and see that you need to take care of your face. But you probably don’t even notice when your breath is rank. Plus, bad breath is one of those weird social things that no one ever wants to talk about. Still, everyone hates it and you’re going to look bad - both in personal and professional settings - if you’ve got stinky breath.
Whether you seem to always wake up with dragon breath or you struggle to keep your mouth fresh during the day, here are 4 ways to get your bad breath under control.
1 - Brush and Floss Like It’s Going Out of Style
Most guys brush their teeth daily, but could be doing so much more to maintain good oral hygiene. Case in point - brushing your teeth once daily is not enough to prevent bad breath. Why?
One of the major causes of bad breath is the interaction between food particles lodged up in your teeth and bacteria that feeds on that food. The result is stinky, putrid breath. So if you have breakfast, have coffee, have a snack, and have lunch - all without brushing your teeth - you’re probably not rocking the freshest breath come early afternoon.
The same applies when you skip brushing before bed. Any food in your teeth festers all night, producing terrible morning breath.
To fix this, you’ve got to commit to brushing 3 times each day and flossing at least once a day. And when you do brush your teeth, don’t make it a superficial fast-and-easy thing. Take 2-3 minutes to thoroughly brush your teeth, dislodging any food particles in the process.
If you’ve got a serious problem with halitosis, you may need to start brushing your teeth at the office after lunch. It might take some getting used to, but it’s worth it if it saves everyone around you from noxious fumes.
2 - Brush Your Tongue, Too
The majority of the bacteria that cause bad breath hang out on your tongue. So when you’re done brushing your chompers, take a minute to brush your tongue too. While effective, this can also be quite uncomfortable. If you are constantly gagging when you brush your tongue, get a tongue scraper instead.
Scrape your tongue briefly each time you brush your teeth. You’ll come away with significantly fresher breath.
3 - Chew Gum / Suck on a Breath Mint
As long as you go with a sugar-free option, this is a great way to control your bad breath. That’s because chewing gum or sucking on a mint increases the flow of saliva. Mouth dryness is a major cause of bad breath, so keeping the saliva flowing is a good way to control your mouth odors.
4 - Beware of Dehydration
Many guys experience dry mouth because of the medication they take, smoking, drinking drinking caffeinated beverages, or drinking alcohol. To keep your mouth hydrated and your breath fresh, avoid these and drink plenty of water each day.
Oral Hygiene for Better Health
Whether it’s oral hygiene or skincare for men, your efforts to look and feel your best contribute to better health. Brush your teeth 2-3 times daily and floss once each day to prevent bad breath, sure. But keep doing it to prevent cavities and periodontal disease as well. That way you’ll look great, stay at peak health, and never have to get anxious about how your breath smells.
