We’re slaying bad breath for good. Take that coffee! Hi-ya, garlic! Good riddance, onions! We’ve done the research, we’ve talked to the experts, and bad breath eradication is on its way.
1. Do what your mama told you: Brush and floss!
Listen, there’s no excuse for not brushing and flossing. So brush twice a day. Floss once. It’s just 3 minutes with a piece of string in your mouth. You can do it. The cleaner your pearly whites, the less bacteria there is in there. The less bacteria, the less stink. It’s pretty simple math.
2. Don't forget your tongue.
Not just for sticking out at jerks and siblings, your tongue is a hotspot for bacteria. If you want fresh breath (and you do, trust us), then brush that sucker with a tongue scrubber (they exist, and they’re awesome) after each meal.
3. Stay hydrated.
All day and especially while you’re sleeping. We don’t mean “learn to drink water while dreaming” although that would be cool and if you do that, please send us the YouTube video. What we mean is, keep your mouth moist by having a water bottle on handy and drink up all day long and before bed. Water keeps your mouth moist and your saliva generating. It keeps dry mouth – and the stink that comes with it – away.
4. Know the villains.
The food you eat dictates the way your breath smells. Simple science. That said, most people don’t know the real culprits. Sure, onions and garlic are the number one offenders, but so is meat. Yes, meat! Meat particles hang out on your gumline and rot. Gross, we know. Be mindful of what you eat, and brush afterward!
5. Watch what you drink.
Liquid lunches are just as bad as pesto pizza. Acidic beverages like alcohol, coffee, and pop release compounds into your skin which, in turn, release more compounds into your blood stream which release oral odors. Ew. Nasty.
This doesn’t mean you have to avoid your morning latte; it just means that a swish or gargle with water after every beverage may give your breath a boost.
6. Chew on a leaf or two.
Go to the garden for fresh germ-fighting gold. We’re talking green tea, cinnamon, mint, parsley, basil, and cilantro for quick bad breath fixes!
7. Make food your friend.
Just like there are stinky foods, there are breath-helping foods too. (Isn’t nature grand?) Load up on fruits packed with Vitamin C like melons, berries, and oranges to kick bad breath germs to the curb. Crunchy veggies like celery and carrots are also good chews for keeping bad breath at bay.
8. Don’t smoke.
Cigarettes aren’t just bad for your breath, they’re bad for your teeth, your gums, your lungs, your life. So, uhm, stop smoking and smell nicer. Simple.
9. Make friends with your dentist.
Instead of running from the rubber gloves and scraper (eek), embrace your dentist and all of her scary metal tools. Small term pain makes for long-term fresh breath. Promise.
10. Eat, chew, suck on, and enjoy all flavors of VerMints.
Keep a stash with you – in your purse, your pocket, your glove compartment, your best friend’s bag – and grab one to go after dinner, at the club, on a date, before a big meeting, during the presentation, and more. If you’re going to be close talking, close talk with a VerMints in mouth and no one will pull away.
Take THAT bad breath!