Some people say that as long as you brush your teeth, you will get rid of smelly breath. Wrong! For thorough brushing and to maintain good oral health, you have to do it for AT LEAST 2 minutes. Anything less than that is not good enough. Most adults do not come close to brushing that long. Some of us are always on the go that we want to do everything in a rush. Well, you have to spare brushing. Studies confirm that proper brushing can prevent cavities, gum disease and tooth decay thus lessening your chances of having bad breath. 

 To give your teeth some nice good ol' cleaning, use gentle, short strokes while paying extra attention to the gumline. Don’t forget to brush the hard-to-reach back teeth and areas around fillings, crowns or other restoration. Concentrate on 1.) Outer surfaces of your upper teeth and lower teeth 2.) Inner surfaces of your upper teeth and lower teeth 3.) Chewing surfaces and 4.) Tongue

You also have to brush the lingual or back surface of the upper front teeth. Use the tip of your toothbrush head. Make sure you direct the bristles toward the gumline and use a tapping motion down the surface of your teeth. Do this for at least 2 times. Do the same step with your lower teeth.

Most dentists recommend a soft-bristled brush in brushing your teeth for removing plaque and debris from the teeth. As much as possible, don’t go for medium and hard bristles because they have the tendency to damage the gums, root surface and protective tooth enamel. For added protection, choose bristles that have rounded tips.

Make sure you pick out something that has a long enough handle so you can comfortably hold it in your hand. Small-headed brushes are also favored by professionals because they are great for getting onto hard-to-reach areas of the mouth. I don’t recommend those toothbrushes with large heads because they are obviously hard to maneuver and they can’t reach areas like the back of the teeth.

Some people find that a powered toothbrush is the best in maintaining a good oral hygiene because it does a better job at cleaning teeth. This is particularly helpful for those individuals who are having a hard time brushing or who have limited manual ability.

Whether you want a manual or powered toothbrush, always look for the ADA (American Dental Association) Seal of Approval. 

As a rule of thumb, you need to replace your toothbrush every three months or when it starts to show signs of wear. Another important reminder- please replace your toothbrush after you have had a cold because the bristles collect germs which might lead to reinfection. 

There are so many brands of toothpaste available in the market today and I really can’t tell you which one is the best. I can tell you one thing though, when choosing a toothpaste for you to combat bad breath, always look for fluoride as one of the ingredients. Fluoride is one of the important components to help fight plaque and cavities. Most people are ok with big name branded toothpastes such as Colgate, Crest, AquaFresh, Arm & Hammer, etc. You may also want to try an oxygenating toothpaste that contains natural anti-tartar and anti-plaque agents.

Not a lot of people actually know the importance of flossing everyday. For most of us, brushing is considered enough to keep our teeth clean. Think about this---what about the food particles stuck in between your teeth? Imagine all those food particles that have been there for a while and how they smell like. Talk about a piece of meat or corn that rots inside your mouth! This may gross you out but if you don’t believe me, try flossing now and take a sniff of the dental floss. Now you know why your breath stinks really bad! Now you know that brushing your teeth is never enough. 

Remember that bacteria buildup is mostly caused by food particles left in between the teeth and tongue. If you do not floss on a regular basis, you are giving bacteria a chance to reproduce. Your mouth will then be the perfect abode for volatile sulfur compounds and that can cause bad breath.

If we don’t floss, we allow plaque to remain in between teeth and this will eventually harden into a substance called tartar. Unlike plaque which can be easily removed by proper brushing, with tartar, it’s a whole different story. You don’t want to give your dentist a hard time, do ya?

With regular flossing, you are able to limit the food supply of these organisms that thrive in between your teeth. Bacteria buildup plays a huge role in inflammation of the gums which often leads to periodontal disease. If left untreated, the gums will start to recede and then eventually pull away from the teeth. If caught too late, it may be irreversible. So whenever you think of how much you hate to floss every after meal, just think of your gums being in a very bad condition. Not pretty at all, right?