(Ad
for Listerine Antiseptic,
Ladies’ Home Journal, 1950s)
|
People
worry about bad breath to the tune of ten billion dollars a year
of profits to gum, mint and mouthwash manufacturers, nearly all
of it wasted.
But
the old Listerine commercial notwithstanding, not even mouthwashes
really help bad breath beyond a minute or two —
in fact, alcohol and hydrogen peroxide can actually worsen the conditions.
Baking soda makes your mouth more alkaline —
exactly the wrong direction, because acidity actually decreases
bad breath.
While
bad gums and teeth can have some affect, most bad breath comes from
food and plaque coating the back of your tongue. What can you do?
Suppressing the gag reflex, grasp your tongue with a washcloth and
use a toothbrush or tongue scraper on it for 2-3 minutes twice a
day.
Your
Mom Was Wrong
What
causes tooth decay? Decaying food acting as a bacteria sanctuary.
But forget what your mom told you.
Actually
most candy and soft drinks are not that bad —
the sugar quickly washes off the tooth surface. Ironically, many
“healthy” snacks can be the most deadly: Sticky dried
fruit is particular bad because it molders on and between teeth;
so do carbohydrates like bagels, crackers, pretzels, and dry cereals.
Instead, go with fresh fruits and vegetables, dairy products, popcorn,
nuts, chips, and unsweetened peanut butter.
|
Caring
for your Feline’s Canines: 95% of doggie bad breath comes from periodontal
disease, says the Chicago Dental Society. According to veterinarian tooth
specialists, you should brush your dog’s and cat’s teeth every
day, but not with human toothpaste (there are chicken-flavored brands
out —
something that might
also work on humans who don’t like all that mintyness).