Myth #1
Commercial mouthwashes effectively cure bad breath.
A typical commercial mouthwash contains alcohol which can actually contribute to the formation of more venues for bacteria to breed and cause bad breath. This is because alcohol causes the mouth to dry, and bacteria breeds quickly on dry mouth; becoming more powerful to produce volatile sulfur compounds (VSCs) that produce bad breath.
However, newer mouthwashes are effective in curing bad breath since they contain chlorine dioxide that attacks VSCs.
To be sure, use mouthwash that is prescribed by your dentist.
Myth #2
You can tell if you have bad breath by licking your hand as smelling it or by breathing with your hands cupped between your mouth and nose.
First, if you lick your hand, the only portion of the tongue that will be used is the anterior portion. Since bacteria that cause bad breath reside at the back of the tongue, you can still not tell if you have bad breath or not.
Second, the air you breathe is not similar with the air you release when you talk. This is because bad breath causing bacteria originate from the posterior part of the tongue and only pushed forward once you speak. Thus you can never tell if you have bad breath or not only by smelling your own breath.
Now, how can you tell if you have bad breath or not? The simplest way is by asking a 5-year old child. They never lie.
Or, you can use a halimeter. This is a device that tells you the amount of VSCs present in your mouth.
Myth #3
Bad breath comes from the stomach
Many undergo intestinal cleansing method since they believe that bad breath can be cured here since it originates in the stomach. Although in some cases it is true, still, more than 90% of bad breath cases come in the mouth particularly at the back of the tongue and in spaces between the teeth. So, it is important to clearly know the origin of bad breath before making an action.
Myth #4
Good dental hygiene effectively cures bad breath
Tooth brushing and dental floss can indeed cure bad breath. But since many believe that by doing such things, they can be free from bad breath, the meaning of "good oral hygiene" is misinterpreted.
It is not enough to brush your teeth. And there is a proper way to do it. Same thing goes with using dental floss.
For most, 30 seconds is enough to brush their teeth. This is definitely not enough since each tooth requires full attention to make sure that they are clean and free from food particles. Thus, it is often recommended to brush your teeth 2 times a day for at least 3 minutes.
Some may also brush and floss their teeth properly and still unable to eliminate bad breath. This is because most bad breath causing bacteria reside on the tongue needs, thus it must be cleaned as well.
Myth #5
Changing your diet can cure bad breath
Avoiding foods that contain sulfur such as cabbage and onions can help stop temporary bad breath. But entirely changing your diet is not the solution since it was mentioned that over 90% of bad breath cases begin in the mouth.
The effective way to cure bad breath is by eliminating the bacteria that cause it. And doing this requires the combination of the right process to prevent bad breath.
