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3 Functional Dentist Tips To Prevent Bad Breath & Boost Oral Health

Hannah Frye
Author:
October 15, 2024
Hannah Frye
Beauty & Health Editor
By Hannah Frye
Beauty & Health Editor
Hannah Frye is the Beauty & Health Editor at mindbodygreen. She has a B.S. in journalism and a minor in women’s, gender, and queer studies from California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo. Hannah has written across lifestyle sections including beauty, women’s health, mental health, sustainability, social media trends, and more. She previously worked for Almost 30, a top-rated health and wellness podcast. In her current role, Hannah reports on the latest beauty trends and innovations, women’s health research, brain health news, and plenty more.
Tongue Cleaner Brush Or Scraper. Woman Scraping
Image by AndreyPopov / iStock
October 15, 2024
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Paranoid about bad breath? While the mint gum may help you in the moment, it's certainly not a long-term solution. But don't worry; we're not going to suggest the obvious "brush your teeth more" as the only prevention method worth trying. 

On an episode of the mindbodygreen podcast, functional dentist Mark Burhenne, DDS, creator of Ask the Dentist, shared three tips to help nix bad breath and help you maintain freshness for longer: 

1.

Breathe through your nose 

"If you breathe through your mouth, you are going to have oral health complications," says Burhenne, including bad breath. See, you may notice after a night of mouth breathing that your gums and tongue feel dry—and that's not a good thing. 

"Saliva is the life giver in the mouth. It supports the oral microbiome, and it helps prevent decay. It activates the immune system1. It allows us to speak and swallow and digest foods," Burhenne explains. So, by limiting that saliva throughout the night, you're keeping your oral microbiome in a less than ideal state. 

The solution: mouth tape. We know it sounds odd at first, but properly designed mouth tape makes the switch to nasal breathing all the easier. Here's our full guide to mouth-taping if you want to learn more about getting started. 

As for daytime mouth breathers, do your best to be mindful of this habit when you can. Wearing mouth tape at night may even help train your brain to make the switch even without the tape on.

2.

Start tongue scraping

Once you wake up and remove your mouth tape, the first thing you'll want to do is scrape your tongue—yes, even before you brush your teeth. 

Rather than brushing your tongue with the back of your toothbrush, you'll want to use a designated tongue scraper. It's a long, thin, flat piece of metal (or plastic) shaped like a "U" to remove bacteria, food debris, and dead cells from the surface of the tongue. "You basically reach back as far as you can on the tongue, stick your tongue out, and drag this forward a few times along your tongue," Burhenne explains. It's actually a ritual practiced for centuries in Ayurveda, known as Jihwa Prakshalana.

Burhenne compares the tongue to a shag carpet, in that it easily traps debris and bacteria in its nooks and crannies. As that material accumulates over time, it can lead to improper biofilm formation on the tongue. 

"Tongue scraping is the most underappreciated aspect of oral care," Burhenne claims. "Everyone should be tongue scraping." 

3.

Avoid antiseptic mouthwash

Now that we've added two more steps to your oral care routine, let's cut one out: mouthwash. Don't worry; not every mouthwash is created equal, and some may be totally fine to use—it's those highly antiseptic formulas you'll want to skip. 

"Most [mouthwashes] kill a portion of the oral microbiome, mostly on the back of the tongue," says Burhenne, and these bacteria are responsible for producing nitric oxide from our food. Nitric oxide, as a refresher, is a molecule that influences immune function, weight, circulation, blood pressure, mood, and more. 

Nevertheless, sometimes mouthwash is medically necessary (like with infections or post-procedure), so follow your dentist's advice first and foremost. But for daily use, consider rinses that don't use alcohol or antiseptic ingredients. 

Even if you use a great mouthwash, just know it won't replace other steps in your routine. "The action of swishing really doesn't move the needle as much as brushing with a paste," says Burhenne. "At best, it's a waste of your money." 

The takeaway 

Burhenne recommends trying mouth tape to prevent saliva loss at night, using a tongue scraper daily, and avoiding antiseptic mouthwash.

With these steps in mind, you're on the path to fresher breath that lasts. For more oral care tips, tune into the full episode with Burhenne below!

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