Can chewing gum help with bad breath? Yes, it can. It’s a quick solution for many of you. Don’t forget to use sugar-free chewing gum (healthy chewing gums), which are more suitable in fighting bad breath.
Chewing gums can banish bad breath
Chewing gums can temporarily help with bad breath by providing these 2 main effects (chewing benefits):
- They increase saliva production
- They temporarily mask the odor
Yes, they increase saliva production – because when we chew, a greater flow of saliva naturally begins in your mouth. Chewing gums release more intense scents such as mint or cinnamon, thereby masking the bad breath. For short-term effects, chewing gums are a good companion.
We reach for chewing gums to freshen our breath. Some groups use them more often, especially younger generations, smokers (also for quitting smoking – nicotine chewing gums), after alcohol or garlic consumption, people when meeting new people, in close contact, or at work. Yes, in these cases, chewing gum can help temporarily. However, it’s not a long-term solution. For long-term solutions, look for the main cause of bad breath. Sugar-free gums with xylitol are nevertheless a perfect addition to dental hygiene for everyone.
Halitosis
Long-term bad breath or halitosis (Latin: foetor ex ore) is a term referring to persistently bad breath. It’s usually harmless. Once you identify the main cause, you can get rid of halitosis quite well.
Long-term assistance
85-90% of the cause of halitosis is in the mouth (oral bacteria), then mouthwashes can help. That’s an incredible number. Proper mouthwash use can help most of you in the long run.
Thus, we divide the causes of halitosis into 2:
1) Oral bacteria (85-90%)
In the case of oral bacteria, which is the cause of bad breath, according to Dr. Jonas Nunes (a recognized global expert on halitosis – 1), it’s necessary to use alcohol-free mouthwash, which contains tested and proven antimicrobial agents (cetylpyridinium chloride or chlorhexidine digluconate or substances that neutralize unpleasant odors, such as zinc lactate or sodium chloride). There are few such mouthwashes on the market – choose carefully. Quality mouthwash can help you maintain fresh breath in the long term.
2) Other causes (remaining 10-15%)
Mouthwash doesn’t work (scientifically tested and proven)
If a person uses scientifically tested and proven mouthwash twice a day and still has bad breath, oral bacteria won’t be the cause, but something else. Yes, that’s exactly it. It needs to be tested. If this mouthwash helps you, you know the cause.
Be cautious with mouthwashes
Don’t rely solely on mouthwash driven by marketing advertisements. Often their effectiveness is based on overriding odor, such as mint. Their effect lasts a maximum of 15 minutes.
Once the cause of bad breath is revealed, it can usually be fairly easily eliminated. Rarely is the cause found in the nasopharynx area, and only in exceptional cases is bad breath a consequence of a serious illness (e.g., in the stomach or intestines).
Quick effect against bad breath
For quick effect, use chewing gums. For long-term effect, use mouthwash.
Enjoy chewing 🙂