National Fresh Breath Day

Nobody likes having a close quarters conversation with that one person who has just had onions and garlic for lunch! Whether at a party, in the office, or generally just out somewhere in public, bad breath is a social faux pas that many people aren’t even aware that they have.

So National Fresh Breath Day was created to promote the kindness that comes from having an awareness about the importance of fresh breath!

History of National Fresh Breath Day

Most people aren’t aware of the fact that over 50% of the bacteria found in the human mouth contributes to bad breath. Brushing twice a day and using mouthwash is the obvious beginning of the way to fight this. But people with serious problems with halitosis (which is just a fancy medical term for bad breath) may struggle to get through the day without offending someone with their stinky mouth odors.

Something many people don’t know is that mints and chewing gum that contain sugar can actually (in the long term) have the opposite effect than what people are hoping for. So if opting for mints or gum to help with the problem of bad breath, be sure to choose special products that are sugar free, making it more likely they won’t actually make the breath worse than it was before.

National Fresh Breath Day was created to educate and make people aware about these and other factors related to having Fresh Breath!

How to Celebrate National Fresh Breath Day

Although most people are not likely to host a party just to celebrate National Fresh Breath Day, still it’s a day that deserves attention! Try these creative ideas for the day:

Check that Breath

It can be really hard for a person to smell their own bad breath! Generally, a bad taste in the mouth would probably signal that bad breath could be a problem, but that doesn’t always work. Some people think that breathing into a cupped hand, so that the air comes back toward the face, is a way to get a better reading on bad breath.

Practice Good Oral Hygiene

Many people aren’t aware of the fact that most of the germs that cause bad breath live on the tongue. That means the tongue needs to be brushed too. So even those who are brushing their teeth twice a day can still have bad breath if they aren’t dedicating a bit of their brushing time to their tongues!

In addition, rinsing with a germ-killing mouthwash can take it one step further in fighting the bacteria that can cause bad breath. Those who don’t have the option to brush their teeth after eating or drinking might try carrying a small bottle of mouthwash so that they can at least rinse a bit to kill those icky germs and freshen up the breath.

Be Aware of Bad Breath-Causing Food and Drinks

Everyone knows that coffee can cause bad breath, so maybe they opt for orange juice. Except, what many people don’t know is that citrus fruits contain a lot of acid, which means that they, too, are likely to cause a breeding ground for germs. Here are some other surprising foods that can cause bad breath:

• Cheese and Other Dairy Products. Dairy bites contain amino acids that can react with the bacteria in the mouth to create a sour sulfur compound–which can make the mouth taste and smell like rotten eggs!
• Peanut Butter. The pasty consistency of peanut butter can mean that the saliva doesn’t break down the proteins, plus, the stickiness can mean that it stays in the mouth long enough to create icky breath.
• Tomato Sauce. Just like with the citrus fruits, tomatoes are highly acidic which makes them more likely to cause bad breath.

Share Mints at Work

If this is a problem at work, why not offer the mints around the office (just don’t single out that one person who loves the peculiar lunches, or it could end badly), and spread the joys of fresh breath on National Fresh Breath Day!