During the COVID-19 pandemic, wearing a mask is imperative to keeping others and yourself safe. However you may be more aware of bad breath when wearing a face mask. There’s a scientific explanation for this. Wearing a mask for prolonged periods can increase the dryness of the mouth, allowing bacteria to flourish.

If you’re concerned about troublesome “mask-breath” then remember to:

• Avoid breathing through your mouth. Unconsciously, we tend to breathe through our mouths while wearing face masks. However, this increases dryness which breeds more bacteria that cause bad breath.
• Keep up regular oral health habits. Brush your teeth (and tongue!) daily as well as floss.
• Rinse your mouth with mouthwash to get rid of bacteria and refresh your breath.
• Stay hydrated.
• Chew sugar free gum. This can increase your saliva without sugar hurting your teeth.

See your Beaverton TenderCare dentist. Sometimes bad breath can be caused by underlying medical conditions and even the best oral health habits won’t fix it. Chronic bad breath aka halitosis has many possible causes, including diseases of the teeth, gum, acid reflux or tonsils. Your Beaverton Tendercare dentist will be able to evaluate and determine the cause of any bad breath.

Now accepting new patients and offering new patient specials. To inquire about becoming a new patient, fill out the form on our website here.