Did you know that bacteria are one of the leading causes of bad breath? It takes about half a day for bacteria to build up in your mouth. They produce harmful microscopic organisms daily that release bad odors and cause infection.
If gone unchecked, these types of bacteria and fungus also led to severe oral disorders and diseases!
If you’re determined to protect your oral health, start smart, and follow a few steps consistently. It’s best to do it right now to prevent it from getting worse. Read on below to learn about the six best methods to kill bacteria in your mouth:
1. Brushing and Flossing Teeth Daily
Brushing your teeth every day is the best way to kill bacteria in your mouth. It is advisable to do this at least 2 times throughout the day. You can do it after waking up in the morning and before sleeping at night.
After you finish brushing, use dental floss to clean hard to reach areas between your teeth. Professional dentists recommended these methods to remove any dirty substances in your mouth.
We suggested using fluoride for your toothpaste, both for kids and adults. The health benefits include avoiding cavities and strengthening teeth against acids which cause enamel erosion.
Do not brush too hard because overdoing it will make your gums bleed. The same idea applies to flossing between your teeth.
2. Brush Your Tongue
If you haven’t cleaned your tongue in a while, you might wonder about the white film coating your tongue. That is a result of the accumulation of odor-causing bacteria and dead cells on it.
Make a habit of brushing or scraping your tongue after brushing. Bacteria do not only thrive on your teeth and gums. The top of your tongue is also a breeding area for these harmful bacteria that destroys your oral health.
Use the soft bristle of the toothbrush to scrape the small food particles left after eating.
In the same way as your teeth, please be careful with your brushing. This is to avoid damaging the surface skin of the tongue. Depending on the injury, it could cause discomfort and pain that could last for days or even weeks.
You can also opt to use a dedicated scraper which is usually made out of plastic, copper, and stainless steel.
3. Mouthwash
There are times brushing and flossing is not enough to get rid of the bacteria. If you want to step up your cleaning techniques a little further, rinsing with a mouthwash can do the trick.
Mouthwash is a liquid substance designed to cleanse your whole mouth. It flushes out all the dirty particles on the parts of you don’t usually brush. Areas like this include the back of your tongue, the roof and sides of the mouth, and the gap between your teeth.
First, look for the instruction on the label on the product for how much mouthwash to use. For most brands of mouthwash 4 teaspoons should be strong enough.
Rinse your mouth and gargle the mouthwash for around 30 seconds for the best results. Mouthwash isn’t made for ingestion so immediately spit it out afterward.
If you’re new to this, you should also do proper research on the different types of mouthwash. There might be ingredients or substances to which you may be allergic to.
4. Saltwater Rinse
Are your teeth too sensitive for commercial mouthwashes? Did you not like the aftertaste after spitting it out? A homemade alternative to mouthwash is to kill bacteria in the mouth with saltwater.
Rinsing saltwater is a way to protect your gums while removing the debris and dead cells.
It’s affordable, convenient, and a natural defense against oral problems like sore throat and tonsillitis. Saltwater can help reduce inflammation and improve your dental health. There are even dentists who recommend it for patients after extraction of the tooth.
To begin, it’s preferable to get a warm or lukewarm cup of water to further soothe the throat. But cold water is also fine if that’s what you prefer. Put a 1 or 1/2 teaspoon of salt in the water and mix it thoroughly.
You can use this to rinse your mouth around 2-3 times throughout the day.
5. Essential Oil Treatment
If you’re looking for natural ways to kill bacteria in the mouth, dentists usually recommend essential oil treatments. Distilled from fresh plants and herbs, these oils are a great alternative to chemical products.
Essential oils have always been popular for relieving pain and curing health conditions.
OraMD is one of the most popular all-natural oral care products you can find. It contains some botanical oils like spearmint (antibacterial), peppermint (resists bacterial human pathogens), and almond (have strong probiotic properties).
They are especially effective against bacteria that cause gum disease and receding gums.
Want to learn more about it? You can read about how OraMD works and cures oral diseases.
6. Drink (More) Water
Yes, you may not believe it at first but as simple as drinking water can help with your dilemma. The water can flush out all the leftover food tidbits in your mouth. It could also dilute the acids that are being produced on your mouth, even right now.
And the best thing is, it could help with your bad breath!
Water helps the production of saliva that can remove all the odor-causing particles. This also prevents dry mouth which is one of the common causes and symptoms of oral diseases.
Are you one of those people who hardly drink water every day? Water does not only rejuvenate and stimulates the human body but it is also essential for the health of your oral health. You now have a nice, healthy incentive to drink at least 7-8 cups of water a day.
Take Advantage of These Effective Ways to Kill Bacteria in Your Mouth
These are the top 6 methods to fight and get rid of all the bacteria! Remember to take good care of your oral health. Prevention is always better than the alternative.
But hey, there are still more ways to keep yourself healthy! Please read more of our health blog posts right now for more guides and tips.
