Most of us have accepted the fact that some form of face coverings will be around for the foreseeable future.
But have you noticed your breath doesn’t smell that fresh behind your mask?
Here are the most common causes for bad breath and some ways to help avoid it:
Mouth not clean enough
The most common source of bad breath is simple: You aren’t keeping your mouth clean enough. Bacteria that live in our mouths break down food and other debris into smelly compounds. Brushing and flossing regularly reduce the amount of stinky bacteria-laden debris.
Many people might choose to try a mouthwash. Keep in mind that they often only mask the smell. If you aren’t removing the debris and bacteria, you aren’t really getting to the problem.
Dry mouth
If you want to use a mouth rinse use one without alcohol because that can contribute to another source of bad breath: A dry mouth.
You might consider chewing sugar-free gum, especially with xylitol. It freshens your breath, improves saliva flow, and xylitol is anti-bacterial.
Gum disease, medical problems, sinus infection
Bad breath also can come from gum disease, certain medical problems and even a sinus infection. If you notice your breath is consistently bad, you might want to discuss it with your dentist or doctor.
Change in behavior
Change in behavior could be the problem, too. For instance, I used to sip on a drink during my shift in the emergency department, but with a mask on all of the time, I obviously can’t do that.
If you can find safe times to remove the mask and rehydrate, it could improve your breath.
More: Good Health News