FitSugar

5 Things: To Fight Bad Breath

FitSugar — Thu, 27 Sep 2007 08:45:00 PDT

Everyone suffers from the occasional bad breath, but it can be an embarrassing problem if you're dealing with it all the time. Of course brushing your teeth, using mouthwash and not smoking are well-known ways to prevent bad breath, but here are a few others.

Every time you eat, brush and floss your teeth. Food particles that remain in your mouth and in between your teeth collect bacteria. The bacteria emits hydrogen sulfur vapors. So keep a toothbrush, toothpaste, and floss in your purse or desk so you can clean your mouth after your morning coffee, your lunch, and your mid-afternoon snack. Not only will brushing and flossing keep your mouth clean, but I know when my breath is minty fresh, I'm less likely to snack between meals.
Certain foods such as onions, garlic, and alcohol can cause bad breath. After they are consumed, they are absorbed into your bloodstream, carried to your lungs and given off in your breath until the food is eliminated from your body. Avoiding these foods can prevent this stinky problem.
If you have allergies, sinus infections, or post nasal drip, the nasal discharge in the back of your throat can cause bad breath (gross I know, but true). Try to figure out the cause of your symptoms. If you are allergic to something, like cats, try to avoid your triggers. Using a neti pot can also help to flush allergens out of your nose. If you have a sinus infection, be sure to take antibiotics to get rid of the infection.

Want to hear what else may help bad breath? Then

Dry mouth can also contribute to bad breath since saliva helps to cleanse and moisten your mouth. A dry mouth allows dead cells and bacteria to accumulate on your gums, tongue and teeth. When these cells decompose, they cause that foul smell. (Morning breath is caused by a dry mouth). It's important to note that certain medications such as decongestants and allergy meds can cause dry mouth too. If you have issues with dry mouth, try to drink more water. If you are taking allergy meds, and your bad breath annoys you more than your sneezing and runny nose, then you may want to consider ditching your meds.
Get yourself a tongue scraper. Use it twice a day to clean your tongue and get rid of excess bacteria.

Source

Recycled Personal Products: Recycline

FitSugar — Tue, 13 Mar 2007 10:15:00 PDT

Did you know that an estimated 2 billion pounds of plastic are dumped into landfills nationwide each year?

You could be contributing to that number more than you know if you use disposable razors and toothbrushes, unless you use Recycline's Preserve line of personal products. Recycline, a company whose mission is to provide high-quality recycled content and recyclable products to the consumer, is single handedly trying to reduce the amount of plastic disposed into landfills. What's more? Recycline has partnered up with Stonyfield Farm, who has offered to recycle any yogurt cups that are returned to the company by consumers. Recycline is, in part, using these cups to manufacture the handles of new Preserve Toothbrushes, Preserve Jr Toothbrushes, Preserve Tongue Cleaners and Preserve Razors.

To read more about the company and their fab products, check out the Recycline site. To support this fabulous company and buy Preserve product, visit the online store.

Tongue Scraper

FitSugar — Tue, 26 Dec 2006 02:01:02 PST

Twice a day we brush, floss and use mouthwash so our mouths feel minty fresh and clean.

Brushing and flossing our teeth gets rid of all the extra food and sugar and junk that gets left in our mouths after eating. Leaving it in our mouths would cause cavities, which we know we don't want - that's why we brush in the first place.

But what about our tongues? Don't forget to brush that too. If you find that brushing it doesn't quite get the job done, try using a tongue scraper.

Just hold on to the two ends with your hands. Place the curved metal part as far back as you can (you don't want to make yourself gag), and gently press the metal into your tongue as you slide it forward towards the tip.

You'll be amazed at what you find scrapes off. Rinse your tongue and the scraper too. Repeat a couple more times if you feel the need.

If you didn't get one from Santa, fear not since tongue scrapers are not only easy to use, but cheap too - $6 or less. They come in all shapes and colors. Want to see the variety? Then

How to Prevent Bad Breath

FitSugar — Mon, 17 Aug 2009 10:00:24 PDT

We've all been embarrassed by occasional bouts of bad breath after eating a roasted garlic pizza or a sandwich piled with onions. If you're dealing with bad breath all the time, though, it can be mortifying. So here are some tips to keep your mouth smelling fresh.

Quit cigarettes if you're a smoker.
Get your teeth checked out by your dentist. Cavities and gum disease can cause bad breath.
Brush and floss during the day, every time you eat. When food particles hang out in your mouth, bacteria collects and emits stinky hydrogen sulfur vapors. So keep a toothbrush, toothpaste, and floss in your purse at all times to use after coffee breaks, lunch, and snacks.
Drink more water. It'll help keep the bacteria in your mouth to a minimum.
Don't mask your bad breath with sugary mints. They'll freshen your breath briefly, but the sugar will only cause more stinky plaque to build up. If you can't brush, go for sugarless gum instead since chewing increases saliva production, which is your best weapon against bad breath.

What else can help prevent bad breath? To find out,